2018 Taiwan Industrial Outlook-Metal Material

According to World Steel Association's (WSA) data in the April 2018 Short Range Outlook (SRO) report, the apparent global steel consumption in 2017 was 1.5874 billion tons, which translates to a 4.7% growth compared with 2016. This figure is expected to grow by 1.8% in 2018 to reach 1.6161 billion tons; and 0.7% in 2019 to total 1.6267 billion tons. Global steel production in 2017 grew 3.9% since 2016 to reach 1.69 billion tons, marking an historic new high. Among the various nations reported, China grew 3.0% to 831.7 million tons, while Africa and other European regions grew substantially, by 14.9% and 12.4%, respectively. The poorer performing markets include the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and Japan, where the output held relatively steady in 2017 compared to 2016. In 2017, Taiwan yielded crude steel output of 22.437 million tons, imported 3.517 million tons, and exported 293,000 tons, in an apparent consumption of 25.662 million tons, at a domestic self-sufficiency rate of 86.3% and a mere 1.3% export ratio...