German May steel output up 1.1%, but WV Stahl warns of slowdown

German May steel output up 1.1%, but WV Stahl warns of slowdown. Germany's May crude steel output of 4.1 million mt marked a 1.1% increase on the prior year, as Europe's largest steel producer snapped back from April's first monthly annual decline since October 2009, steel industry association Wirtschaftvereinigung Stahl figures show. Output grew on-month from April's 3.8 million mt, WV Stahl said in a statement Thursday. For the year to May, output at 19.3 million mt was 2.3% higher on the same period of 2010, it said. "Capacities were almost fully utilized in the reporting month," WV Stahl said. "Therefore, the steel business continues to run in full swing." The steel body last month said it had expected output to expand in the second quarter on strong orders, but now was cautious of business beyond the current period. "In the coming months, a slowdown is to be expected," it said. By steel production type for April -- the latest month available -- basic oxygen furnace output accounted for 2.58 million mt, 3.6% below April 2010 levels. Electric arc furnaces produced 1.23 million mt, 2.2% more than in April 2010, it said. Pig iron output in April was 2.4 million mt, down 2.7% on a year ago. Hot-rolled steel output in April totaled 3.35 million mt, up 5.3% year-on-year. Flat products totaled 2.27 million mt, up 12.2%, while long products saw a 6.9% year-on-year contraction to 1.08 million mt, WV Stahl added.