GERMANY EXPECTS A FALL OF 3% IN STEEL OUTPUT THIS YEAR

 Crude steel output in Germany, Europe's largest producer, is expected to fall 3 percent this year after a 0.6 percent decline in 2015, the German Steel Federation said on Tuesday.

Faced with a glut of low-priced Chinese steel, mills have cut output or gone out of business this year and more may follow.

The German industry body which represents steelmakers including Thyssenkrupp, Salzgitter and ArcelorMittal said output in December fell by 8.3 percent, taking 2015 output to 42.7 million tonnes.