WEEKLY: Output among China's mini-mills rises despite worsening losses

Production among Chinese independent electric-arc-furnace (EAF) steelmakers continued rising this week, but the mills' enthusiasm for making steel is cooling amid persistently thinning margins, Mysteel's latest survey showed.

During March 7-13, the average capacity utilization rate among the 90 independent EAF mills under Mysteel's tracking increased to 53.5%, higher by a small 1.4% on week, while their average operational rate also went up by 3% from the previous week to 70%. Contributing to the increase in production were