| In the first quarter of 2009, China totally produced | | | | points on 17th, April compared with the climax this |
| 127.44 million tons of crude steel, up by 1.4% YOY, in | | | | year, in which the prices of 12mm deformed steel |
| which the daily steel yields were 1.51 million tons in | | | | bar and 2.75 mm hot rolled coil were dropped by 660 |
| the last third of February; equivalent to the annual | | | | Yuan per ton and 733Yuan per ton compared with |
| steel yields of 550 million tons. In March, the national | | | | the climax this year, down by 16.3% and 17.6% |
| average daily steel yields were 1.455 million tons, up | | | | respectively. |
| by 36% compared with the lowest level 1.07 million | | | | |
| tons of the daily steel yields in the first third of | | | | Compared with the end of last year, the price index |
| November 2008 and higher than the average level of | | | | of the steels in Chinese market was 97.59 points in |
| the national daily yields of 1.37 million tons in last year. | | | | the end of March, down by 5.71 points compared |
| Meanwhile, the major foreign iron and steel | | | | with the 103.3 points in the end of last year, 5.53% |
| enterprises cut down their production greatly. From | | | | of reduction rate, in which the price index of the long |
| January to February, the steel yields in 65 steel | | | | steels was cut down by 8.36% as well as 4.6% |
| producing countries were 88.65 million tons, down by | | | | down in the price index of the board steels. Overall, |
| 37.2% YOY, exclusive of the steel yields in China. | | | | at present, the price of the steel products in Chinese |
| The steel yields in January and February in China | | | | market continues to drop, which has been already |
| accounted for 47.9% of the global yields. | | | | lower than the price in 1994. |
| | | | | |
| In the first quarter of 2009, China exported 5.14 | | | | In the first quarter of 2009, the yields of the crude |
| million tons of steel products accumulatively, down by | | | | iron were increased by 5.039 million tons year on year |
| 54.9% YOY. In March, the steel exports amounted | | | | in China as well as the increases in the consumption |
| to 1.67 million tons, dropped by 59.8% YOY. From | | | | volumes of the ore into the furnace, which amounted |
| January to March, the net exports of the steel | | | | to 7.9616 million tons. However, in the first quarter of |
| products and billets were converted into 1.12 million | | | | 2009, the import volumes of the iron ore were |
| tons of crude steel, decreased by 85.3% YOY, which | | | | increased by 20.8611 million tons year on year, |
| was equivalent to the net exports of 4.52-million-ton | | | | 12.8995 million tons more imported than the |
| crude steel in the whole year, down by 43 million | | | | consumption volumes of the ore into the furnace. In |
| tons compared with the net exports in 2008. In | | | | addition, the yields of the domestic fine ore were |
| March, it was the first time that the net imports | | | | grown in the first quarter. It was obvious that the |
| were shown in the steel products and billet | | | | supplies of the ore into the furnace exceeded the |
| converting into crude steel. | | | | demands in the domestic market. |
| | | | | |
| In March 2009, China exported 1.67 million tons of | | | | In the first quarter of 2009, the average price of the |
| steel products and no steel billet was exported; | | | | imported iron ore was 80.47 USD per ton at CIF |
| imported 1.27 million tons of steel products and 460 | | | | China (including FOB and shipping fees etc), down by |
| thousand tons of steel billets. If all converted into the | | | | 50.53 USD per ton over the previous year, 38.57% |
| crude steel, in March, China totally exported 1.78 | | | | of reduction rate. According to the statistics from |
| million tons of steels, increased by 120 thousand tons | | | | January to February, the average price of the |
| and up by 7.05% at link relative ratio; decreased by | | | | imported iron ore was cut down by 37.44% year on |
| 2.66 million tons and down by 59.95% year on year. | | | | year at CIF China, in which the price of the spot mine |
| If all converted into the crude steel, in March, China | | | | from India was dropped by 59.94%. Due to the high |
| totally imported 1.81 million tons of steels, increased | | | | in the price of long contract mine, the average price |
| by 340 thousand tons and up by 23.34% at link | | | | of the mine from Brazil was decreased by 29.37% |
| relative ratio; increased by 180 thousand tons and up | | | | integrated the long contract mine and spot mine, the |
| by 11.36% year on year. In March, the net import | | | | average price of the mine from Australia was |
| volumes of the steels were 30 thousand tons in | | | | reduced by 21.37% as well as 17.74% down in the |
| China, which had been the first time that took place | | | | South African mine. Owning to the iron ore supplies |
| the net import of steels in single month. From | | | | exceeding the demands obviously in the international |
| January to March, the accumulative net exports of | | | | market, the price of the imported iron ore showed |
| the steels amounted to 1.13 million tons, decreased | | | | the sharp decline in Chinese market. |
| by 6.58 million tons and down by 85.32% year on | | | | According to the estimation, from the aspect of the |
| year. | | | | new added yield capacity, the yield capacity of the |
| | | | | crude steel will reach 650 million tons by the end of |
| The composite index of the steel price went up | | | | 2009, but the actual demands are less than 500 |
| again from the bottom low of 101.5 points in | | | | million tons. The yield capacity surplus has been the |
| November of last year in Chinese market to 109 | | | | outstanding problem that restrains the development |
| points in February this year. Subsequently, the prices | | | | of the iron & steel industry. |
| of the steels were down all the way and to 95 | | | | |