China’s steel sheet/plate exports totaled 30.39 million mt in the January-May period this year, down 0.5 percent year on year, according to the Chinese customs authorities.
In May alone, China exported 6.33 million mt of steel sheet/plate, down 1.0 percent year on year, while down 4.4 percent month on month.
In May, China’s HRC export prices moved up, with the highest price level during the month at $475/mt FOB on average from large mills seen during May 14-20, and with the lowest level at $465/mt FOB observed on May 6-13, according to SteelOrbis’ data.
The steel export in May has been at relatively high level in history. The low steel prices and the “rush to export” contributed to the high export volume of steel. Some analysts said China’s steel exports might exceed 120 million mt in 2025 based on the current situation of steel export.