Data: China's zinc import, export in Jan

Total zinc ingots inventories across seven major markets in China stood at 284,100 mt as of April 15, up 6,100 mt from April 8, down 3,700 mt from April 11.

According to the General Administration of Customs, China imported 82,265 mt of primary aluminium in December, down 64.13% month-on-month and down 36.98% year-on-year.

Shanghai base metals mostly trended lower on Tuesday morning after US dollar rallied significantly. Meanwhile, their counterparts on LME performed similarly.

Shanghai nonferrous metals mostly closed in the positive territory as the market was cheered up by the macro front, as China released its December official manufacturing and non-manufacturing PMI readings, which topped market expectation.

SHFE and LME zinc prices once again hit new highs in two months, mainly owing to the continuously rising electricity and natural gas prices which rose by more than 20% amid intensifying energy shortages in the eurozone, according to SMM. Meanwhile, the costs of smelters also climbed due to low zinc concentrate TCs as a result of tight supply.

According to statistics from the General Administration of Customs of China, China imported 104.96 million mt of iron ore and iron concentrates in November, an increase of 15% on the month and 7% year-on-year.

Exports of steel stood at 4.36 million mt in November and totalled 61.88 miillion mt From January to November, up 26.7% year-on-year. The imports of steel stood at 1.42 million mt in November and totalled 13.27 million mt from January to November, down 29.6% YoY. China imported 10.50 million mt of iron ore and concentrates in November and 1.04 billion mt from January to November, down 3.2% YoY.

Imports of cobalt intermediate products were 5,166 mt in metal content in October (calculated at 27% grade), down 30% MoM.

According to customs data, China’s ferromolybdenum and molybdenum oxide exports in October 2021 were 3,178 mt, an increase of 8.35% from September.

China imported 299,000 mt of NPI and ferronickel in October 2021, a decrease of 2.42% month-on-month but a growth of 10.09% year-on-year, according to customs data.