Rebar social inventories in Guangzhou jump 10% on week

The China Iron and Steel Association (CISA) reported that crude steel output across major mills in China averaged 2.27 million mt per day in the first ten days of April, up 2.88% from late March and up 16.86% from the same period a year ago.

Social inventories of long steel (including wire rods and rebar) in Guangzhou increased 5.57%, or 123,500 mt, in the week ended March 3 to 2.34 million mt, showed SMM data. Stocks were 0.22% lower than the same period last year.

Social inventories of long steel (including wire rods and rebar) in Guangzhou decreased 10.5%, or 111,900 mt, in the week ended December 2 to 956,900 mt, showed SMM data. Stocks were 49.1% higher than the same period last year.

Social inventories of long steel (including wire rods and rebar) in Guangzhou decreased 4.4%, or 54,700 mt, in the week ended November 11 to 1.19 million mt, showed SMM data. Stocks were 93.2% higher than the same period last year.

Operating rates at domestic iron ore mines in October rose 0.7 percentage point from September, with operating rates at private mines 0.4 percentage point higher and 1.1 percentage points higher at state-owned mines.

Social inventories of long steel (including wire rods and rebar) in Guangzhou decreased 2.15%, or 28,900 mt, in the week ended October 28 to 1.32 million mt, showed SMM data. Stocks were 90.6% higher than the same period last year.

Social inventories of long steel (including wire rods and rebar) in Guangzhou decreased 3.84%, or 52,600 mt on week but surged 40.98% on year to 1.32 million mt as of August 5, showed SMM data.

Social inventories of long steel (including wire rods and rebar) in Guangzhou posted slower declines this week, decreasing 6.83%, or 120,200 mt, from a week ago to 1.64 million mt as of Wednesday May 20, smaller than a drop of 9.53% in the previous week, showed SMM data.

China’s imports of steel products soared last month as coronavirus containment measures dealt a hefty blow to foreign demand and pulled prices overseas lower. Data published by China’s General Administration of Customs on Tuesday showed that China imported 1.14 million mt of steel products in March, up 26.3% from a year earlier. Total imports in the first three months of 2020 came in at 3.18 million mt, with a year-over-year increase of 9.7%.

Planned output of construction steel rebar across China’s major blast furnace steelmakers in April stood roughly flat from the actual production in March, as the impact of maintenance may offset the increase in output driven by higher profits.