Executive Summary Prices ease

摘要

Economic sentiment has picked up around the world in recent months, helped by the resolution to the US government spending and debt ceiling impasse. Global industrial production growth is estimated to have seen a modest y/y improvement in 2013 Q3. Global apparent plate consumption rose by over 1% q/q in 2013 Q3, a surprising rise as Q3 is traditionally a weaker quarter for plate demand. This increase in plate demand was largely as a result of strength in China, with output here remaining high.