In the January-August period this year, China's semi-finished steel exports amounted to 14.0455 million mt, up 52.07 percent year on year, according to China's customs authorities.
In August alone, China's semi-finished steel exports totaled 1.926 million mt, down 23.76 percent month on month, while increasing by 9.17 percent year on year, signaling semi-finished steel has become an important export category for Chinese steelmakers to absorb excess molten iron and hedge against weak domestic demand for steel.