METI rises forecast for Japan's July-Sept crude steel output

Japan's integrated, electric and special steelmakers are likely to produce 21.2 million tonnes of crude steel during the present July-September quarter, according to the latest forecast from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). If realized, this will represent an increase of 6.4% on-year and a 4.2% rise from the April-June quarter, though in its forecast issued on August 6, the ministry warned against overoptimism.

The total is also more than 1 million tonnes higher than METI's earlier prediction for this quarter announced last month of 20.18 million tonnes, as Mysteel Global reported, and 850,000 tonnes more than the April-June total. "Although the total would have exceeded the results for the same period last year