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Japan's steel industry head urges Chinese manufacturers to cut output
Chinese steelmakers should cut production to reflect weakening demand from manufacturers amid a coronavirus outbreak as steel inventories climb in the world’s biggest steel producer, the head of Japan’s steel industry said on Thursday. China’s crude steel output rose 7.2% in January from a year earlier, despite an extended holiday for Lunar New Year celebrations and curbs to rein in the virus. And stockpiles of rebar, stainless steel and other products have built up dramatically in China after the epidemic stalled many construction projects and kept factories shut for weeks. “We are aware that the steel ... (full story)