Influenced by the small base number for crude steel output and exports in Q1 last year, in Q1 this year the Chinese national crude steel output and export volumes have registered strong year-on-year increases, while the quarter-on-quarter increases were smaller or even posted decreases.
In Q1 2010, Chinese crude steel output was 158.01 million mt, up 24.5 percent year on year or 7.7 percent quarter on quarter; total finished steel exports came to 8.71 million mt, up 69.5 percent year on year or down 2.0 percent quarter on quarter.
In the same period, China's finished steel output was 185.75 million mt, up 28.6 percent year on year or down 2.3 percent quarter on quarter; pig iron output came to 150.11 million mt, up 21.7 percent year on year or down 8.1 percent quarter on quarter.
In Q1, Chinese total imports of finished steel amounted to 4.11 million mt, up 27.3 percent year on year or down 3.4 percent quarter on quarter.