According to the Brazilian Steel Distributors' Institute (INDA) and the Brazilian Steel Institute (IABr), flat-rolled steel inventories in Brazil totaled 1.157 million metric tons in January, a 3.8 percent decrease from December due to fewer imports into the country.
Flat steel imports fell 42 percent year-on-year last month, to 130,000 metric tons, from the 225,000 metric tons in January 2009. Month-on-hand inventories were about 3.4 months, down 0.9 months from month-on-hand inventories in December.