China's stainless steel output up 5.25% YOY in H1

In the January-June 2012, the total stainless crude steel output of China reached 7.082 million mt, up 5.25% YOY, including respective increases of 3.12% and 8.36% seen in outputs of Cr-Ni and Cr- Mn stainless steels, reports the Stainless Steel Council of the China Special Steel Enterprises Association.

Compared with the second half of 2011, China's stainless crude steel output in the first half of 2012 increased by 2.3% including a 5.39% increase in output of Cr-Ni stainless steel, and a decrease of 1.67% in output of Cr-Mn stainless steel. In the first half of this year, China's stainless crude steel import volume amounted to 387,900 mt, down 70,600 mt or 15.40% YOY, while China exported 1,006,000mt of stainless crude steel in the given period, down 101,800 mt or 9.19% YOY.

In the January-June period this year, apparent consumption of stainless crude steel in China totalled 5,614,000mt, up 330,000mt or 6.88% as compared with the same period of 2011.