The latest data released by Chinese customs show that national exports of finished steel in September totaled 2.47 million mt, up 390,000 mt or 18.8 percent month on month and down 4.2 million mt or 63 percent year on year. From January to September, China's total exports of finished steel reached 15.71 million mt, down 32.79 million mt or 67.6 percent year on year.
Meanwhile, China's imports of finished steel for September totaled 1.91 million mt, up 320,000 mt or 20.1 percent month on month and up 640,000 mt or 50.4 percent year on year. In the January-September period, imports of finished steel totaled 13.38 million mt, up 1.06 million mt or 8.6 percent year on year.
In September, China's net exports of finished steel stood at 560,000 mt, while net exports of finished steel from January to September reached 2.33 million mt.
China's semis exports in September stood at zero, down 210,000 mt year on year. Thus, in the January-September period semis exports totaled just 10,000 mt, down 1.12 million mt or 99.1 percent year on year. Meanwhile, semis imports in September stood at 280,000 mt, down 70,000 mt or 20 percent month on month and up 260,000 mt year on year. Total imports of the subject product in the January-September period stood at 3.86 million mt, up 3.72 million mt year on year.
As a result, China's net imports of semi-finished steel in September amounted to 280,000 mt. In the first nine months of this year, net semis imports reached 3.85 million mt.