China's steel imports rose year on year

From January to May, China (referring only to the Chinese mainland, the same below) imported 5.464 million tons of steel, up 12.0% year on year. Imported steel billet 3.053 million tons, up 662.3% year on year; Imports of steel ingots amounted to 22,000 tons, up 63.7% year on year. Equivalent to crude steel imports about 8.77 million tons. From January to May, the average price of imported steel in China was USD1007.7 / ton, down 16.5% year on year. The average price of imported billets was $447.8 / ton, down 46.5% year on year.

From January to May, China exported 25 million tons of steel, down 14.1% year on year. The export of steel billets reached 10 million tons, down 19.6% year on year. Equivalent to crude steel exports of about 26.05 million tons. From January to May, the average price of steel exported from China was $775.1 / ton, down 3.7% year on year.

Plate is still the main type of Chinese steel exports

From January to May, the export quantity of the main types of steel has declined significantly compared with the same period last year. Among them, rod and wire and railway timber exports fell the largest year-on-year range. Influenced by the decline in export order prices during the severe epidemic, the average export prices of all major steel varieties declined to varying degrees. Among them, the average export price of rod and wire rods, Angle profiles and pipes decreased significantly compared with the same period last year.

Plate is still the main type of China's steel exports, accounting for an increase in the proportion of total exports. From January to May, China's export of plates accounted for 61.5 percent of the total export of steel, an increase of 1.4 percentage points over 2019.

ASEAN, the Middle East and the Republic of Korea are still our main export destinations. From January to May, China exported 14.712 million tons of steel to the above three countries and regions, down 0.7% year on year, accounting for 58.8% of the total steel exports. Although steel exports to major countries and regions declined significantly, exports to the Middle East, South Asia and some countries in South America increased.

From January to May, China exported 3.546 million tons of steel to the Middle East, up 5.3% year on year. The export growth was mainly in cold-rolled coil. The export of steel to Pakistan was 563,000 tons, up 1.6% year on year. The export growth was mainly in hot-rolled coils. The export of steel to Peru was 534,000 tons, up 5.0% year on year. The export growth was mainly in alloy steel rod and wire.

Steel imports rise, prices fall

Steel imports increased by more than 10% year on year and prices fell by more than 15%. Wire rod and hot rolled coil imports increased significantly compared with the same period last year. From January to May, 883,000 tons of rods and wires were imported, up 123.1% year on year. The average import price was US $944.8 / ton, down 44.3% year on year. Among them, the import of rebar from January to May was 324,000 tons, up 4008.7% year on year; The average import price was $420.7 / ton, down 42.4% year on year. Imported ordinary hot-rolled sheet (coil) 613,000 tons, up 101.0% year on year; The average import price was $494.3 / ton, down 22.5 percent year on year. Imported ordinary cold-rolled sheet (coils) 741,000 tons, up 8.6% year on year; The average import price was USD609.7 / ton, down 12.2% year on year. The import volume of oriented electrical steel increased significantly, with a total import volume of 183,000 tons from January to May, up 19.3% year on year.

Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China's Taiwan are the main sources of imports for the Chinese mainland. From January to May, China imported 4.605 million tons of steel from the above-mentioned countries and regions, up 8.0% year on year, accounting for 84.3% of China's total steel imports. Some products of China's foreign investment enterprises return to China, and the import quantity from ASEAN has increased significantly, and the import increment is mainly the rod and wire imported from Malaysia.

Due to better prices in the domestic market, imports of hot rolled coil from countries such as Kazakhstan and India increased.

China's imports of square billets increased year-on-year

From January to May, China imported 1.574 million tons of square billets, up 1,828.1% year on year, mainly from Vietnam, Iran, Russia, Malaysia and India. General slab 1.215 million tons, an increase of 4,190.3% year on year, mainly from Russia, Vietnam, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia. The average import price of square billet was 398.4 US dollars/ton, up 12.9% year on year; The average import price of general slab was 397.0 USD/ton, down 3.3% year on year.

From January to May, China imported 445.306 million tons of iron ore, up 5.1% year on year. The average import price was USD90.0 / ton, up 6.8% year on year. Among them, 283.301 million tons were imported from Australia, up 7.1% year on year, accounting for 63.6% of China's total iron ore imports. Imports from Brazil were 77.774 million tons, down 13.2 percent year on year, accounting for 17.5 percent of China's total iron ore imports. Imports of iron ore from India, Ukraine and Russia increased significantly to 15.392 million tons, 8.938 million tons and 4.374 million tons respectively, up 121.4 percent, 101.6 percent and 118.5 percent year on year, respectively.

From January to May, China imported 10.617 million tons of manganese ore, down 22.2 percent year on year. The average import price was US $147.4 / ton, down 26.6% year on year. Imported chromium ore 6.068 million tons, down 3.1 percent year-on-year; The average price was $138.0 / ton, down 21.1% year on year.

From January to May, China imported 31.861 million tons of coking coal, up 7.4% year on year. The average price was $135.1 / ton, down 3.7% year on year. Imported 526,000 tons of coke, up 936.7% year on year; The average price was $239.40 / ton, up 7.8% year on year.

From January to May, China imported 1.316 million tons of pig iron, up 1015.2% year on year. The average import price was US $369.6 / ton, down 29.4% year on year; They are mainly from Brazil, Russia, Ukraine, Indonesia and Japan. Imports of direct reduced iron and other sponge iron lumps reached 1.323 million tons, up 327.8% year on year; The average import price was 294.1 US dollars/ton, down 3.2% year on year; They are mainly from Russia, Venezuela, Malaysia and Iran.