In the January-June period of the current year, medium-sized and large steelmakers in China - all members of the China Iron and Steel Association (CISA) - achieved sales revenues totaling RMB 2.1 trillion ($0.31 trillion), up 10.9 percent year on year, while their costs for products sold in the given period amounted to RMB 1.9 trillion ($0.28 trillion), up 15.2 percent year on year. The growth in costs was faster than the growth in revenues, resulting in a deterioration in the steelmakers’ profitability in the given period. In the first half of the year, medium-sized and large steelmakers in China recorded an aggregate gross profit of RMB 106.5 billion ($15.5 billion), down 20.5 percent year on year.