Reuters reported that steel output in Italy, the second biggest producer in the European Union after Germany, is expected to rise by 11% in 2011 and remain at the same level in 2012 as unfolding euro zone crisis hits demand.

Mr Giuseppe Pasini chairman of Italy's steel industry body Federacciai told Reuters that "We expect to close this year with an increase of about 11% of steel output to about 28.5 million tonnes."

(Sourced from www.reuters.com)