In 2013, China's crude steel output amounted to 779.04 million mt, up 7.5 percent year on year, as announced by China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). The growth rate in question was 4.4 percentage points higher than that recorded in the previous year.
In 2013, China's overall outputs of coke and ferroalloys amounted to 476.36 million mt and 37.76 million mt, up 8.1 percent and 14.7 percent respectively, both on year-on-year basis. In 2013, China's exports of finished and semi-finished steel and of metallurgical coke amounted to 62.34 million mt and 4.67 million mt, up 11.9 percent and up 360 percent respectively, both on year-on-year basis.
Finished steel prices in China declined for consecutive six months in the first half of 2013, while they lingered at low levels in the second half of the year.
In December last year, China's composite steel price index issued by the China Iron and Steel Association (CISA) was at 99.28 points, down 0.39 points month on month. In particular, average prices of 6.5 mm high-speed wire rod and cold rolled coil were RMB 3,523/mt ($577.5/mt) and RMB 4,442/mt ($728.2/mt), down 0.3 percent and 0.5 percent month on month, and down 3.4 percent and 3.9 percent year on year. The average price of 20 mm common medium plate in China in December was RMB 3,539/mt ($580.2/mt), up one percent month on month and down 6.6 percent year on year.