According to the association, the increase was largely supported by one country – China. Production contracted in most other regions of the world, the association said.

In China, output rose 8.3% to 996.3 million metric tons. The country now accounts for slightly more than 53% of global output.

India remained the world’s second-biggest producer, the association said, with output totaling 111.2 million metric tons, an increase of 1.8%.

U.S. production rose 1.5% to 87.9 million metric tons. The U.S. remained the world’s fourth-largest producer.  However, North American production fell from the prior year, notching down 0.8% to 120 million metric tons.

The European Union, meanwhile, produced 159.4 million metric tons of crude steel, a decrease of 4.9%.