Latin American output down in March

In March 2013, crude steel production in Latin America was 13% lower than the same month 2012 and reached 5.Mt.

The region’s finished steel trade balance showed a deficit of 1.6Mt in the period Jan/Feb 2013, down 24% on the 2.1Mt for the same period 2012.

This deficit applied to most countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, with the exceptions of Argentina, Brazil and the Dominican Republic. Mexico displayed the greatest imbalance of -590kt followed by Colombia (-31kt), Peru (-243kt) and Chile (-214kt).