China's daily crude steel output fell to 1.666 million tonnes in the second ten days of December, down 0.44 percent from the preceding ten days, data from the China Iron & Steel Association showed on Tuesday.

    Steel mills in the world's top steel-producing country have continued to reduce production to cope with declining steel demand in the winter season, when construction activity is suspended in northern regions.

    The following table shows changes in daily output since the beginning of the year. 
   
 Period      Daily output  Change (pct)
             (mln T)      
 Dec 11-20   1.666         -0.44*
 Dec 1-10    1.674         -0.69
 Nov 20-30   1.685         +1.29
 Nov 11-20   1.664         0.0
 Nov 1-11    1.664         -3.1
 Oct 21-31   1.717         -4.6
 Oct 11-20   1.799         -2.0
 Oct 1-10    1.836         -4.8
 Sept 21-30  1.930         +0.6
 Sept 11-20  1.919         -2.3
 Sept 1-10   1.964         +3.1
 Aug 21-31   1.905         -2.2
 Aug 11-20   1.947         +0.3
 Aug 1-10    1.942         +0.4
 July 21-31  1.935         -0.7
 July 11-20  1.950         -0.3
 July 1-10   1.955         -3.1
 Jun 21-30   2.018         +3.2
 Jun 11-20   1.955         -0.6
 Jun 1-10    1.967         +2.7
 May 21-31   1.915         +3.5
 May 11-20   1.984         +1.9
 May 1-10    1.947         +0.3
 Apr 21-30   1.941         +1.9
 Apr 11-20   1.904         -1.1
 Apr 1-10    1.933         +0.6
 Mar 21-31   1.922         -1.2
 Mar 11-20   1.945         +2.2
 Mar 1-10    1.903         -0.4
 Feb 21-28   1.912         +5.4
 Feb 11-20   1.814         +1.5
 Feb 1-10    1.787         +4.5
 Jan 21-31   1.710         +0.9
 Jan 11-20   1.695         -5.5
 Jan 1-10    1.794         +3.5
 
 Source: CISA
    *-Some percentages are calculated based on
complete figures, not the rounded ones shown in the table.