Sales of flat steel products by Brazilian distributors declined to 301,100 mt in April from 370,300 mt in March, according to the sector institute INDA. On a yearly basis, the decline was 0.5 percent.
Under the same comparative basis, purchases by the distributors chain in April declined by 11.8 percent from March to 318,000, while the level of inventories increased by 2.1 percent to 817,600 mt, reaching the equivalent to 2.7 months of consumption, against 2.2 months in March, a level still considered as comfortable, when compared to the historical average of 3.0 months of consumption.
Imports in April declined by 3.6 percent from March, reaching 161,000 mt. On a yearly basis, imports increased by 46.7 percent. Such import figures include heavy plates, HRC, CRC, zinc coated, HDG, pre-painted and Galvalume.
According to INDA, expectations for May are for purchases and sales increasing by 6 percent from April.
Speaking in a conference with analysts, the president of Inda, Carlos Loureiro, mentioned that the current price premium of steel products in the Brazilian domestic market, when compared to the imported product after clearing customs, is in the 25 percent to 26 percent range, one of the highest figures in recent years.