Brazilian flat steel distributor sales in April increased 5.4 percent, year-on-year, the nation’s steel distributors association (Inda) said on Tuesday. Sales in April reached 225,100 mt, 14.4 percent down, month-on-month.
Purchases of flat steel by local distributors in April grew 19.2 percent, year-on-year, but dropped 7 percent, month-on-month, to 263,800 mt.
Flat steel inventory improved 4.4 percent in April, month-on-month, to 926,000 mt. Inventory turnover grew from 3.4 months in March to 4.1 months in April.
Flat steel imports by local distributors in April increased 34 percent, year-on-year, but fell 21 percent, month-on-month, to 97,700 mt.
Inda forecasted both the purchase and sales of flats by local distributors to rise 7 percent in May, on a month-on-month basis.