India's renewed COVID lockdowns have curtailed vehicle production and sales. Can steel producers cope?

      "The total production of passenger vehicles, two-wheelers and three-wheelers dropped by 66.3%, from 2,417,597 units in May 2019 to 806,755 units in May 2021, according to monthly data released by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (Siam)."

Financial Express, June 12, 2021  

Summary:

• "Auto manufacturing was weaker in May and remains subdued this month [June 2021] as many producers shut operations partially or fully to divert their oxygen supplies for medical purposes", said Siam.
• Total auto sales by dealers across the country dropped by 71pc over May 2019 to 535,855 units in May 2021. Sales were down by 55pc from the previous month, according to the Federation of Automobile Dealerships Association (Fada).
• According to the Business Insider, India's auto sales were down 13% in fiscal year 2020-21, the lowest since FY 2015. (India's fiscal year is April 1st to March 31st).
• According to Argus Media, India's automobile sector contributes to 10-12pc of India's total steel demand.
• India's steel demand in 2020 was 88.5 MMT, according to the Financial Express.

AEGIS Thoughts: With new COVID lockdowns only reimposed in April 2021, it's hard to say if we are only seeing a temporary blip for both auto production and demand.  However, auto sales have been stagnant in recent years, even before the pandemic.  Thus, steel producers could look to the open market for sales.