China’s iron ore imports in Jan-May decline 5.2% on year

SHANGHAI, Jun 10 (SMM) – China’s imports of iron ores and concentrates grew to 83.75 million mt in May, up 2.98 million mt from April but down 11% from May 2018, according to data from China Customs released on Monday June 10.

This lowered imports in the January-May period to 423.92 million mt, down 5.2% from the same period last year.

Customs data also showed that China exported 5.74 million mt of steel products in May, down 583,000 mt, or 9.2% from a month ago and 1.14 million mt, or 16.6% from a year ago.

Export prices averaged $860.1/mt in May, up 9% month on month but down 1.1% year on year.

Steel products exports in the first five months of the year came in at 29.09 million mt, standing 2.5% higher from a year earlier.

The average export price for January-May stood at $805.1/mt.