According to the statistics released by the French Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industry, in the first seven months of this year France's basic steel product and ferroalloy exports amounted to a value of €6.3 billion, remaining stable compared to the same period of the previous year.
The cumulative value of France's steel product and ferroalloy exports has been rising steadily since March 2010 on year-on-year basis. In the first seven months of 2012, steel and ferroalloys ranked eighth among the most exported products of the country.
During the period in question, France exported €1.3 billion of steel pipes and tubes - down 10.3 percent, €291.4 million of cold rolled steel strip - down 16 percent, €249 million of cold rolled steel bars - down four percent, €250.5 million of cold drawn wire - up 2.1 percent, €392 million of metal structures and parts - down 7.7 percent, all compared to the first seven months of 2011.
Meanwhile, in the January-July period of this year France's basic steel product and ferroalloy imports totaled €5.8 billion, down 14 percent year on year.
During the given period, France imported €1 billion of steel pipes and tubes - down 8.4 percent, €354 million of cold rolled steel strip - down 16.5 percent, €280.6 million of cold rolled steel bars - down 11 percent, €234.6 million of cold drawn wire - down 16.8 percent, and €801 million of metal structures and parts - down 6.4 percent, all compared to the same period of the previous year.