Domestic daily crude steel output hit 1.52 million tons in mid-June, the highest level so far this year and equivalent to 556 million tons annually, much higher than the 470 million tons projected by the MIIT. The output continued to rise because of higher steel prices, the recovery of demand, and mills’ favorable bookings. As of last week, domestic steel prices rose for nine weeks in a row. Experts predicated a better market in the latter half of this year than the first half, on the grounds that the four trillion yuan investment package is taking a stronger effect on the real estate, railways, auto and home appliance sectors.