China's crude steel output fell 0.9% to 58.75Mt in August from the previous month as several steel mills reduced production due to maintenance, official figures showed.

Data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Tuesday showed that China's daily crude steel output fell below 1.9Mt for the first single month this year, with the mills scheduling maintenance to take advantage of weak consumption season over the summer period.

China's average daily steel output stood at above 1.9Mt this year, hitting a record 1.998Mt per day in June, compared with an average 1.7Mt last year, as mills positioned themselves to take advantage of strong demand from construction activities, particularly the social housing programme.

China's industrial output grew 13.5% in August from a year earlier, slowing from July's 14% annual rise, with the yearly growth still likely to be 13.5% in 2011, China's industry ministry said on Sept 13.

China's total steel production accumulated to 469.3Mt for the first eight months this year, up 11% from the same period of last year, bureau data showed.