Based on the data issued by the UK-based Iron and Steel Statistics Bureau (ISSB), in the first quarter of the current year the international
trading volume of steel (including semi-finished, long steel, flat steel and pipes) amounted to 71.4 million mt, increasing by nine percent year on year, but down 15 percent compared to the peak level recorded in the third quarter of 2008.
In particular, in the first quarter of the current year international semi-finished sales reached 12.3 million mt, long steel sales totaled 15 million mt, flat steel sales increased to 35.8 million mt, and international steel pipe sales amounted to 8.2 million mt.
In Q1, China exported 11 million mt of steel products, much lower than the volume of 21 million mt it exported in the third quarter of 2008.