World steel output rose 13.1% in October from the level of output a year earlier, driven largely by production in China, the World Steel Association said on Nov. 20.
Production came to 112 million metric tons, the association said, adding that following a revision of September figures, the October total represented the second straight monthly gain since September 2008.
Output was up 1% to 108.8 million tons in September, according to the association, which covers steel production in 66 countries.
World steel production in the first 10 months of the year had fallen 13.5% in the global financial downturn, with demand shrinking in such key industries as construction and automobile manufacturing.
The turnaround that began in September is mainly attributable to China, the world's leading producer.
Chinese production in October was up 42.4% from the same month last year at 51.7 million tons.
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2009