China's steel imports through January-July 2005

China’s steel imports through January-July 2005

China's steel imports went down through the first seven months. According to the latest statistics, China imported 2.13 million tons of steel products ($2.59 billion in trade value) in July 2005. With July's figures, total steel product imports of China decreased nearly 25 percent year on year to 15.35 million tons in the first seven months. However, the value of the imports increased 16.2 percent to $15 billion. Bars and rods accounted for 96'985 tons of the imports in July. Total import of bars and rods for the first seven months decreased almost 30 percent year on year to 639'200 tons; however, their trade value increased almost 7 percent to $586.55 million in the first seven months. Imports of angles and shapes amounted to 62'263 tons in July with $30.81 million trade value. Total imports in the first seven months decreased nearly 34 percent to 400'000 tons. Trade value also fell for angles and shapes, down almost 20 percent to $201.5 million. Meanwhile, flat products imports reached 1.85 million tons with $1.69 billion trade value in July. Total flat product imports in the first seven months reached 13.38 million tons, down 23 percent. Trade value of flat product imports rose almost 17 percent to $12.57 billion. The imports of pipe products reached 81'816 tons with $185 million trade value in July. In the first seven months, pipe imports decreased 26.76 percent year on year to 609'600 tons, while trade value went up 31 percent to $1.18 billion.