According to SECEX, Brazil's foreign trade authority, Brazil exported 301,210 mt of finished carbon steel products in January this year, priced at $208.672 million, while imported 322,806 mt at $238.633 million.
This compares to Brazil exporting 156,937 mt at $99.638 million and importing 237,983 mt worth $172.920 million in December last year.
The numbers for January indicate a commercial deficit in volume amounting to 21,596 mt, against an also deficit of 81,046 mt in December.
In terms of USD value, there was a deficit of $29.961million in January, against an also deficit of $72.651 million in December.
In volume, the main exported items in January were HRC (36 percent), wire rod (22 percent), rebars (18 percent) and coated flat products (17 percent).
The main imported items in January were coated flat products (65 percent), HRC (11 percent), CRC (9 percent), and steel wire (6 percent).