Sales of flat steel products by the Brazilian distributors declined to 307,300 mt in February from 329,900 mt in January, according to the sector institute INDA.
Under the same comparative basis, purchases by the distributors chain declined by 6.9 percent to 321,000 mt, while the level of inventories increased by 1.9 percent to 907,900 mt, reaching the equivalent to 3.7 months of consumption, a level now considered as not comfortable by the sector, as the perspectives are for lower demand in the next months.
Imports in February increased by 46.2 percent from January, reaching 192,700 mt, including heavy plates, HRC, CRC, zinc coated, HDG, pre-painted and Galvalume.
In comparison to February 2023, sales increased by 4.4 percent, purchases increased by 15.1 percent, and imports increased by 25 percent.
For March 2024, expectations by INDA are for acquisitions stable and sales increasing by 6 percent from February.
Speaking in a conference with analysts, the president of Inda, Carlos Loureiro, mentioned that the premium of HRC in the domestic market, when considering the price of a similar product in the international market, after clearing customs in Brazil, stands today at 17 percent.