WEEKLY: China's HRC output falls for a 3rd week

Production of hot-rolled coils (HRC) among the 37 Chinese steelmakers regularly surveyed by Mysteel shrank further during December 11-17, retreating by 5.4% or 168,000 tonnes on week to 2.92 million tonnes, the latest survey results showed.

As demand for the flat steel continues to cool during the winter slow season for consumption, more integrated mills and coil re-rollers have idled strip mills or have started overhauls on their blast furnaces and rolling lines, causing HRC output to decline steadily over the past few weeks. As a