Off-Season Demand Coupled With the Chinese New Year Effect Led to a Significant Decline in China's SiMn Exports in January [SMM Analysis]

Published: Mar 20, 2026 18:32

Save

According to the latest release from the General Administration of Customs, SMM statistics showed that China’s SiMn exports were 2,539.52 mt in January 2026, down 50.55% MoM and down 31.84% YoY. China’s SiMn imports were 0 mt in January 2026, down 100% MoM and down 100% YoY. By import and export regional structure, SiMn exports were mainly destined for Indonesia.

According to the latest release from the General Administration of Customs, SMM statistics showed that China’s SiMn exports totaled 2,539.52 mt in January 2026, down 50.55% MoM and 31.84% YoY. China’s SiMn imports were 0 mt in January 2026, down 100% MoM and 100% YoY.

The decline in SiMn exports in January was mainly due to weak demand outside China and the Chinese New Year holiday effect.

January was the traditional off-season for the global steel industry. Steel mills in major export destinations such as Indonesia and Uzbekistan cut production, underwent maintenance, and suspended procurement, causing orders to plunge. In China, high manganese ore import costs and firm spot SiMn prices contrasted with low prices outside China, squeezing export margins, and most enterprises proactively stopped taking new orders. In addition, as the Chinese New Year approached in late January, alloy plants in China took holidays early and logistics services were suspended, bringing order delivery and shipments to a near standstill.

SiMn imports were 0 mt in January, mainly because newly added capacity in northern regions (Inner Mongolia and Ningxia) continued to be released. China’s SiMn production in January fully covered domestic demand, and with high domestic inventory, steel mills mainly adopted purchasing as needed and low-inventory strategies, leaving no incentive for import restocking.

In terms of the regional structure of imports and exports, SiMn exports were mainly destined for Indonesia.

Regarding the sustainability of future SiMn alloy exports: From the macro perspective, it is necessary to track how changes in the global economic environment are transmitted to the overall SiMn market; from the fundamental perspective, focus should be placed on the pace of recovery in production demand from steel mills outside China, as well as changes in capacity release and cost control among China’s SiMn producers.

Data Source Statement: Except for publicly available information, all other data are processed by SMM based on publicly available information, market communication, and relying on SMM‘s internal database model. They are for reference only and do not constitute decision-making recommendations.

For any inquiries or to learn more information, please contact: lemonzhao@smm.cn

For more information on how to access our research reports, please contact:service.en@smm.cn

Related News

17 mins ago

SMM Iron & Steel] ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih Suspends Steel Production Due to Severe Logistics Disruptions

ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih (AMKR) has announced a temporary suspension of its steel and rolled product manufacturing for at least four days, starting May 5, 2026, due to critical damage to the railway infrastructure connecting the plant to Black Sea ports. The logistics bottleneck, caused by repeated strikes on the Odesa-Chornomorsk bridge, has paralyzed the export of iron ore concentrate and finished steel, forcing the company to idle Blast Furnace No. 6. While the plant aimed for a 2026 production target of 5.3 million metric tons (mt) of iron ore concentrate and 3.8 million mt of crude steel, this disruption threatens to tighten the supply of long products in the European and North African markets.

17 mins ago

18 mins ago

[SMM Iron & Steel] US Issues Preliminary AD Results for Large Diameter Welded Pipe from India

The US Department of Commerce (DOC) has announced the preliminary results of its administrative review of the antidumping (AD) duty order on large diameter welded pipe from India for the period of May 1, 2023, to April 30, 2024. The DOC preliminarily found that Welspun Corp Limited and its affiliates did not sell the subject merchandise at less than normal value, assigning a dumping margin of 0.00%. Additionally, the review was rescinded for 12 other Indian companies as they had no reviewable shipments during the period. This preliminary zero-margin finding for a major producer suggests a potential easing of trade barriers for specific Indian pipe exports, though final results are pending.

18 mins ago

[SMM Iron & Steel] US Steel Mill Shipments Surged 10.9% in March 2026; Q1 Down Slightly

The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported that US steel mills shipped 7.74 million net tons in March 2026, marking a 10.9% increase from the 6.98 million net tons shipped in February, though down 0.6% compared to March 2025. Total shipments for the first quarter of 2026 reached 21.82 million net tons, a 1.6% decrease year-on-year. Specifically, shipments of corrosion-resistant steel rose by 12%, cold rolled sheets by 11%, and hot rolled sheets by 6% compared to the previous month. The significant monthly rebound indicates a seasonal recovery in manufacturing and construction demand, though the slight year-on-year decline suggests the market is still adjusting to broader economic cooling compared to the previous year.

18 mins ago