According to Chinese customs data, in June this year Chinese finished steel exports continued to increase, exceeding 5 million mt, while the country's iron ore imports saw an obvious decrease for the third consecutive month.
In June, China's finished steel exports reached 5.62 million mt - the first time they have exceeded 5 million mt since September 2008. The finished steel export volume in June was 0.68 million mt more than in May and up 293.01 percent year on year, while the total export volume in the January-June period was 23.58 million mt, up 152.3 percent year on year.
In June, the Chinese finished steel import volume was 1.47 million mt, up 110,000 mt month on month and down 9.82 percent year on year. Total finished steel imports in the January-June period came to 8.44 million mt, up 3.8 percent year on year.
China's steel billet exports in June amounted to 60,000 mt. Total steel billet exports from January to June came to 120,000 mt. Meanwhile, steel billet imports in June totaled 20,000 mt, unchanged from May, and the total steel billet import volume in the January-June period was 260,000 mt, down 90.3 percent year on year.
In June, China's coke exports came to 560,000 mt, up 530,000 mt year on year. In January-June the country's total coke exports reached 1.4 million mt, up 507.9 percent year on year.
In June, China's iron ore imports amounted to 47.17 million mt, 4.73 million mt less than in May and down 14.69 percent year on year. Total iron ore imports in the January-June period came to 309.28 million mt, up 4.1 percent year on year.