SteelOrbis Shanghai
According to the latest figures released by Chinese customs, China's steel exports hit 6.17 million mt in May 2007, up 76.8 percent year on year. Although this May figure is 990,000 mt lower than the previous month, it is the second highest historical monthly figure and as such is an indication of the continuing robust growth of Chinese steel exports.
In May 2007, semis exports totaled 960,000 mt, up 280,000 mt or 41.2 percent year on year and up 90,000 mt or 10.3 percent month on month.
Total steel imports for the month in question came to 1.38 million mt, down 80,000 mt or 5.5 percent year on year and down 250,000 mt or 15.3 percent month on month.
Semis imports for May totaled 20,000 mt, down 14,000 mt year on year and equal to the level of the previous month.
In the first five months of this year, China's total exports of finished steel reached 27.44 million mt, up 14.77 million mt or 116.6 percent compared with the same period last year. Meanwhile, exports of semi finished steel came to 3.61 million mt, up 1.55 million mt or 75.2 percent.
Total imports of finished steel for the Jan-May 2007 period came to 7.28 million mt, down 470,000 mt or 6.1 percent year on year; meanwhile, semis imports for the period reached 120,000 mt, down 50,000 mt or 29.4 percent.
Consequently, China's net exports of finished steel for May stood at 4.79 million mt, while net semis exports came to 940,000 mt, totaling 5.98 million mt of net crude steel exports. From January to May, China's net exports of finished steel and semis totaled 20.16 million mt and 3.49 million mt respectively, thus giving 24.71 million mt of net crude steel exports.
Total iron ore imports in May came to 27.62 million mt, up 3.05 million mt or 12.4 percent year on year. This figure was sharply down 5.75 million mt or 17.2 percent compared with April, indicating an obvious slowdown. Total iron ore imports for Jan-May reached 161.15 million mt, up 29.23 million mt or 22.2 percent year on year.
Meanwhile, China's coke exports in May rose 500,000 mt or 45 percent to 1.61 million mt year on year, up 130,000 mt or 8.8 percent month on month. Jan-May coke exports were up 1.43 million mt or 26.9 percent year on year to 6.74 million mt.