Global crude steel production rose 1.2 percent to 123 million tonnes in February, compared with the same month a year earlier, data from the World Steel Association (Worldsteel) showed on Wednesday.

Top producer China's crude steel output for February rose 9.8 percent year-on-year to 61.8 million tonnes, while Japan's output was down 3.4 percent to 8.3 million tonnes, the data showed.

Output in the United States fell by 11.8 percent to 6.7 million tonnes, while European Union production fell 5.6 percent to 13.38 million tonnes.