According to the statistics released by the French Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industry, in the first five months of the current year France's basic steel product and ferroalloy exports amounted to a value of €4.29 billion, increasing by 11.24 percent year on year.
In the first five months of 2011, steel and ferroalloys ranked eighth among the most exported products of the country.
In the January-May period, France exported €1.03 billion of steel pipes and tubes - up 41.95 percent, €188.37 million of cold rolled steel bars - up 48.32 percent, €252.50 million of cold rolled steel strip - up 28.66 percent, €173.05 million of cold drawn wire - up 31.81 percent, €300.90 million of metal structures and parts - down 6.21 percent, all compared to the same period last year.
Meanwhile, in the period in question France's basic steel product and ferroalloy imports totaled €4.92 billion, up 31.23 percent year on year.
During the given period, France imported €803.72 million of steel pipes and tubes - up 37.67 percent, €207.55 million of cold rolled steel bars - up 54.11 percent, €303.44 million of cold rolled steel strip - up 34.85 percent, €260.31 million of cold drawn wire - up 34.99 percent, and €565.37 million of metal structures and parts - up 8.33 percent, all compared to the same period last year.