According to the Ukrainian association of metal producers Metallurgprom, following month on month decreases in the previous three months, in August this year Ukraine's average daily pig iron output registered a growth of 8.3% or 5,400 tonne compared to July to 70,200 tonne.

 

In the first 13 days of September the country's average daily pig iron output increased further to 75,100 tonne.

 

According to Mr Sergei Belenky Ukraine's Senior Deputy Minister of Industrial Policy, Ukraine has recently seen an increase of up 10 percent in steel product prices. He also suggested that in October and the first half of November the prices for steel products will further increase by an average of USD 15 to USD 20 per tonne. At the same time, in the second half of November a decrease of USD 5 to USD 10 per tonne is expected due to seasonal factors.

 

According to Metallurgprom data, as of September 1 five of Ukraine's 36 operating blast furnaces were idle, while two of the country's 21 converters, 17 of its 35 open hearth furnaces and seven of its 15 electric furnaces also continued to stand idle.