The world's steelmakers are increasing output despite softer demand, pushing down prices.

　　尽管需求疲软，全球钢铁厂商却在增加产量，这推低了钢铁价格。

　　In a few countries, notably Brazil and the U.S., steel prices remain high, thanks to steady demand in the former and limited output in the latter. AK Steel Holding Corp. in February said it would increase, by $50 a short ton, prices for all of its carbon, flat-rolled steel products, a move followed by other U.S. steelmakers.

　　一些国家的钢材价格居高不下，尤其是巴西和美国。因为巴西的需求稳定，而美国的产出有限。AK钢铁控股公司（AK Steel Holding Corp）二月表示旗下所有碳扁钢价格每短吨（约合0.907吨）上调50美元，随后美国其它厂商也纷纷涨价。

　　But U.S. prices -- especially for hot-rolled steel, a key component used in most steel products -- could be headed lower too, says Peter Marcus, economist and steel analyst for World Steel Dynamics Inc., a consulting firm. 咨询公司World Steel Dynamics Inc.

　　的经济学家和钢铁分析师马库斯（Peter Marcus）说，美国的钢铁价格也可能走低，尤其是热轧钢。热轧钢是在多数钢铁产品中都会使用到的关键原料。

　　"Steel buyers in the United States are bearish on the price outlook for hot-rolled," he says. "They're now receiving offers for hot-rolled band from abroad in the $740-$800 per-net-ton range, which compares to the domestic price in the $870-$890 per-ton range."

　　马库斯说，美国的钢铁买家看跌热轧钢的价格前景。这些买家收到的热轧带材（hot-rolled band）的海外报价为每短吨740美元至800美元。相比之下，美国国内报价为每吨870美元至890美元。

　　Many global steelmakers increased production in the second half as world economies strengthened. But price increases followed because of stronger demand -- and higher costs for raw ingredients, such as iron ore, coal and scrap -- across a broad spectrum of products, such as premium automotive-grade steel, pipe and tube for energy markets and plate steel for ships. The price of plate steel rose 22% in major steel-producing countries and the price for pipe and tubing rose 14% in the second half.

　　随着全球经济走强，全球许多钢铁厂商在去年下半年增加了产能。随后由于对一系列产品的需求增加（其中包括优质汽车钢，能源市场用到的各类管材以及造船所需的厚钢板），以及铁矿石、煤炭和废钢等原材料价格走高，钢材价格也开始跟着回升。去年下半年，主要产钢国厚钢板价格上涨了22%，各类管材的价格上涨了14%。

　　Now, prices are falling as demand softens, in part because of unrest in the Mideast, the effects of Japan's earthquake and tsunami and relatively high supply. In China, the world's biggest steel producer and consumer, annualized steel production rose 16% to 708 million metric tons in February from November, according to the China Iron and Steel Association. Steel prices in China meanwhile have fallen around 8%-10%. 'The fundamental problem the Chinese mills have faced in recent times has been strong competition among the 30-plus entities selling their products to the same customers,' Mr. Marcus says.

　　现在由于需求疲软，价格出现下跌。导致需求疲软的部分原因是中东动乱，日本地震和海啸带来的影响以及供给相对过剩。据中国钢铁工业协会估计，从去年11月至今年2月，中国的钢铁产量折合年率增加了16%，至7.08亿吨。中国是世界最大的钢铁生产国和消费国。与此同时，中国的钢材价格大约下跌了8％-10％。马库斯说，近几个月来中国钢厂面临的根本问题在于激烈的竞争，30多家钢厂在争取同一批客户。

　　Outside China, February steel production rose to an annualized rate of 827 million metric tons, slightly higher than the peak of 811 million metric tons reached in May, according to World Steel Dynamics.

　　 中国之外，据World Steel Dynamics估计， 2月份钢铁产量折合年率上升至8.27亿吨，略高于去年5月8.11亿吨的产量峰值。

　　Prices for key raw ingredients are falling as well. Prices for iron ore fell about 9.5% last month from February on the spot market, aided by plentiful supply.

　　关键原材料价格也出现下跌。现货市场上，由于供应充足，3月份铁矿石价格比2月份下跌了约9.5％。

　　While analysts don't believe lower steel prices are part of a longer-term trend, they could continue to fall as buyers and traders wait and pit sellers against each other. Mills in Russia, India, Taiwan and parts of Europe have tried to boost prices between 2% and 7% for several types of steel, but some buyers are holding off.

　　虽然分析师并不认为钢材价格走低是一个中长期趋势，但由于采购商和贸易商还在观望，并在不同钢厂间相互压价，所以钢材价格可能继续下跌。俄罗斯、印度、台湾以及部分欧洲国家试图给好几类的钢材提价，涨幅在2%至7%之间，但一些采购商持观望态度。

　　"It would not be prudent for us to buy more steel now if the prices are continuing to drop," says Stanislav Khazanov, steel buyer for Central Steel Co., a small Moscow-based buyer that also has operations in India and Ukraine and buys steel for use in tool making. "We have about six weeks of inventory that is sufficient. I believe prices will drop another 2%-5% in the next few weeks."

　　莫斯科小型采购商Central Steel Co. 的钢铁采购员哈扎诺夫（Stanislav Khazanov）说，如果钢价还在持续下跌，那么我们现在购入更多钢材将是不够谨慎的行为。我们有大约六周的存货，足够用了。我认为未来几周钢价还会跌2%至5%。Central Steel Co.在印度和乌克兰也有业务，采购的钢铁用于制造工具。

　　Mr. Khazanov isn't alone.

　　持上述观点的并不只是哈扎诺夫一人。

　　"There is something of an impasse in the West European market as customers prefer to sit on the sidelines rather than place business at the inflated levels being demanded by the domestic producers," according to MEPS International, a U.K.-based steel consulting firm.

　　总部位于英国的钢铁咨询公司MEPS International 说，西欧市场有点陷入停滞。客户宁肯观望，而不愿意以国内生产商要求的上涨后价格达成交易。