Posted on 15 Oct 2026
China’s exports of finished steel nudged past 10 million tonnes in September to reach 10.49 million tonnes, up by 0.26% on year, according to the latest statistics from the General Administration of Customs (GACC) published on October 14.
This marked the fifth consecutive month for China's shipments of finished steel abroad to exceed 10 million tonnes and the fourth straight month where these had registered on-year growth, Mysteel Global noted.
The September result brought China's cumulative finished steel exports during this year's January-September period to 85.65 million tonnes, still lower by 2.6% on year, though narrowing from January-August's 3% decline, the GACC data showed.
The GACC does not provide commentary with its data, but the robust performance of exports in September seemed a symptom of the continuing dull domestic market for steel, Mysteel Global suggests.
Although September is usually a peak month for steel sales in China with the return of milder weather after summer, domestic steel demand among end-users has remained generally lackluster, as reported. The relatively slow progress of infrastructure projects, a sluggish property market and a slowdown in manufacturing in sectors such as automobiles and white goods has presented headaches for domestic mills and distributors.
For example, the trading volume of construction steel including rebar, wire rod and bar-in-coil among the 237 trading houses under Mysteel's tracking nationwide averaged only 93,575 tonnes/day during September, lower by a marked 8.7% from the September average of 102,437 t/d in 2025.
The flat steel market is under no less pressure. As of September 30, hot coil inventories at the 194 commercial warehouses nationwide that Mysteel monitors had swollen to 4.77 million tonnes, higher by 17.5% on year.
The persistent weakness in domestic steel demand prompted Chinese steelmakers to ramp up exports last month to alleviate the supply pressure, a Shanghai-based analyst indicated.
Meanwhile, steel demand from some emerging markets in South Asia, Africa and Latin America also helped to fuel China's steel exports, partly offsetting the decline in major markets such as Vietnam and South Korea, as reported.
Looking ahead to the remaining months of this year, China's steel exports are likely to stay relatively resilient, though in the longer term, downward pressure remains amid rising trade barriers, another industry watcher told Mysteel Global.
Meanwhile, during January-September China also imported 4.07 million tonnes of steel, down 10.5% on year, the GACC data showed.
Source:Mysteel Global
