China stainless steel output grows 2.9% in Aug

China's stainless steel imports were 224,000 mt in April, an increase of 10.13% month-on-month and 95.9% year-on-year; exports (excluding stainless steel products) were 410,500 mt, an increase of 24.85% month-on-month and 31.09% year-on-year. The total stainless steel exports were 498,400 mt.

The low-end traded prices of #304 cold-rolled products stood at 15,700-15,800 yuan/mt. Commodities prices surged on Thursday evening with nickel leading price gains.

The nickel industry is in the limelight in the non-ferrous metals commodities market since 2020, as demand and supply fundamentals have become more volatile.

Primary lead output in China expanded significantly last month, as some large smelters recovered from maintenance and small and medium-sized smelters reopened after the spread of the coronavirus in the country came under control. China’s output of primary lead increased 11.94% from February to 240,000 mt in March, to produce a year-over-year decline of 7.03%. Output in the first three months of 2020 was 6.13% lower than the same period the year before.

Industrial activity levels outside of central China continues to improve as workers return from quarantine periods and logistics pressures eased.

Exports declined 6.13% from a year ago to stand at 596,800 mt in Jan-Apr

Daily output of crude steel across China Iron and Steel Association member mills averaged 1.92 million mt during Feb 1-10

Indonesia Tsingshan on Feb 13 commissioned its second manganese production line

Output stood at 63.73 million mt in Nov, up 16.1% from Nov 2017, but down 5.9% month on month

China produced 18.57 million mt of rebar in Nov, down 2.9% from Oct but up 10.14% from Nov 2017