May 15 (Reuters) - Australian steel maker BlueScope Steel Ltd BSL.AX on Tuesday raised its guidance for underlying earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) for the second half by 12.2 percent, helped by stronger margins at a facility in the United States.
The firm said underlying EBIT for the six months ended June 30 is now expected to be A$680 million ($511.90 million), compared to prior guidance of A$606 million, attributing the upgrade to higher margins on steel from its North Star mini-mill in Ohio. ($1 = 1.3284 Australian dollars)