On February 13, the China Iron and Steel Association (CISA) announced that in late January (Jan. 21-31) this year the average aggregate daily crude steel output of large and medium-sized steel enterprises in China totaled 1.6594 million mt, down 2.5 percent compared to mid-January (Jan. 11-20). Meanwhile, the average aggregate daily crude steel production of all steelmakers in China in late January was estimated at 1.964 million mt, indicating a decrease of 2.12 percent compared to mid-January.

According to the CISA's previous figures, in mid-January this year the average aggregate daily crude steel output of large and medium-sized steel enterprises in China had amounted to 1.702 million mt, up 1.6 percent compared to early January (Jan. 1-10). In mid-January, the average aggregate daily crude steel production of all steelmakers in China was estimated at 2.007 million mt, indicating an increase of 0.5 percent compared with early January.

Meanwhile, as of January 31, 2014, overall inventory of the main finished steel products in the major steel markets in China totaled 13.605 million mt, up 4.3 percent as compared to the figure recorded on January 20.