According to the data issued by the Russian Special Steel and Alloys Consumers and Suppliers Association (Spetsstal), in April this year Russia's stainless steel product imports decreased by 6.3 percent month on month to 14,240 mt, while its exports increased by 28.3 percent to 743 mt.
January 2010 (mt) | February 2010 (mt) | March 2010 (mt) | April 2010 (mt) | Change in April over March | |
Flats | 6,052 | 8,310 | 10,677 | 9,913 | -7.2% |
Longs | 792 | 1,047 | 1,958 | 1069 | -45.4% |
Wire | 162 | 317 | 229 | 420 | 83.4% |
Billets | 38 | 57 | 27 | 122 | -3.5 times |
Seamless tubes | 579 | 810 | 742 | 881 | +18.7% |
Electric welded tubes | 380 | 1,187 | 1,562 | 1,835 | +17.5% |
Total | 8,003 | 11,728 | 15,195 | 14,240 | -6.3% |
In January-April 2010, Russia almost returned to the levels of 2008, importing 49,166 mt of stainless steel products - up 65.2 percent year on year. Meanwhile, the country's stainless steel product exports during the first four months of this year went up by 4.1 percent year on year, amounting to 1,811 mt.