Posted on 13 May 2025
Daily crude steel output among the member mills of the China Iron and Steel Association (CISA) decreased by 1.2% or by 27,000 tonnes/day from mid-April to average 2.2 million tonnes/day during April 21-30, according to the association's latest data released on May 8.
The result suggested that the domestic mills' keenness for producing was softened by the subdued sentiment in the ferrous commodities market, a Shanghai-based analyst commented, citing risks abroad including rising trade tensions.
Based on the latest statistics, CISA also estimated that the country's daily crude steel output averaged 2.79 million t/d during late April, 1.2% lower than during the prior ten days.
On the demand side, China's domestic steel demand picked up moderately in late April as end-users stocked up some quantities to tide them through the country's Labour Day holiday (spanning May 1-5). Over April 21-30, the spot trading volume of rebar, wire rod and bar-in-coil among the 237 Chinese trading houses under Mysteel's tracking nationwide increased by 8.9% or 9,571 t/d from mid-April to average 117,313 t/d.
In tandem, lower output and rising sales saw finished steel inventories held by CISA's member mills thin by 8.5% or 1.4 million tonnes from the tonnage on April 20 to reach 15.3 million tonnes as of April 30, the association said. This result was also lower by 3.7% or 590,000 tonnes from the same period last year, it noted.
Meanwhile, in late April domestic steel prices experienced some upward corrections, with the country's national price of HRB400E 20mm dia rebar for example, rising by Yuan 71/tonne ($9.8/t) from the price on April 18 to reach Yuan 3,351/t and including the 13% VAT as of April 30, according to Mysteel's assessment.
Source:Mysteel Global
