China’s output of pig iron increased 7.5% to 72.02 million mt in April from a month ago, to generate a year-over-year decline of 1.2%, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) released on Friday.

SMM data showed that HRC stocks across social warehouses and steelmakers decreased 4.17% in the week ended May 14 to 4.26 million mt, marking the ninth straight weekly decline.

An SMM survey showed that 35 steelmakers in China plan to produce a total of 9.34 million mt of hot-rolled coils and plates in May, up 3.1% from the realised output of 9.06 million mt in April.

Chinese electric arc furnace (EAF) steelmakers operating rates continued to edge higher as of early May, driven by the resumption of producers in central China as the spread of the coronavirus has stalled. However, the rally in operations will be constrained due to a surge in feedstock steel scrap prices. 

Data published by the industry body on Tuesday showed that social inventories of hot- and cold-rolled plates/coils, heavy & medium plates, wire rods and rebar in 20 Chinese cities stood at 16.24 million mt as of the end of April, down 930,000 mt, or 5.4% from April 20.

Hebei Jinxi Iron & Steel plans to put a 2,000m³ blast furnace into operation at the end of May, SMM learned.

Inventories of aluminium billet in China fell for the sixth consecutive week as of April 16 as arrivals remained limited. 

Social inventories of copper cathode in south China’s Guangdong province extended their slide over the weakened amid decent consumption and limited arrivals. 

Zinc inventories in China fell over the weekend, propelled by a drop in Shanghai where downstream consumers were keen to replenish their stocks to wrap up the week. SMM data showed that social inventories of refined zinc ingots across Shanghai, Tianjin, Guangdong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shandong and Hebei stood at 283,600 mt as of Monday April 13, down 2,200 mt from Friday April 10 and 13,800 mt from Tuesday April 7.

Inventories of zinc ingot across Shanghai-bonded areas fell 800 mt in the week ended April 10 to 74,600 mt, showed SMM data.