Global crude steel production rose 17.5 per cent year-on-year in the January to October period to 1.165 billion tonnes, according to the figures from the World Steel Association.

World crude steel production for the 66 countries reporting to the association was 117.56 million tonnes in October, up 2.4 per cent from the same month last year.

Crude steel output in China, the world's top producer and consumer, fell 3.8 per cent to 50.30 million tonnes in October from the same period last year, world steel said in a statement.

Japan produced 9.51 million tonnes of crude steel in October, up 8.0 per cent from the same month last year. South Korea's production last month was 5.21 million tonnes, 11.4 per cent up from the same month last year.

In Europe, Germany's crude steel output in October was 3.83 million tonnes, a rise of 11.0 per cent from October 2009. Italy produced 2.48 million tonnes, 11.9 per cent above the same month in 2009.

Turkey produced 2.70 million tonnes of crude steel in October 2010, up 18.6 percent from the same month in 2009. In the US, steel output was up 9.6 percent year-on-year at 6.57 million tonnes in October.-Reuters