On February 19, the China Iron and Steel Association (CISA) announced that in early February (Feb. 1-10) this year the average aggregate daily crude steel output of large and medium-sized steel enterprises in China totaled 1.761 million mt, up 6.2 percent compared to late January (Jan. 21-31). Meanwhile, the average aggregate daily crude steel production of all steelmakers in China in early February was estimated at 2.066 million mt, indicating an increase of 5.2 percent compared to late January.

According to the CISA's previous figures, in late January this year the average aggregate daily crude steel output of large and medium-sized steel enterprises in China had amounted to 1.6594 million mt, down 2.5 percent from mid-January (Jan. 11-20). In late January, the average aggregate daily crude steel production of all steelmakers in China was estimated at 1.964 million mt, indicating a decrease of 2.12 percent compared with mid-January.

Meanwhile, as of February 10, 2014, overall inventory of the main finished steel products in the major steel markets in China totaled 16.328 million mt, up 20.02 percent as compared to the figure recorded on January 31.