Semi-finished steel exports quadruple in Jan–May as domestic demand weakens
May 25th
From January to May, China’s exports of semi-finished steel soared to 4.71 million tons—4.1 times higher than the same period in 2024. In May alone, month-on-month exports jumped 75%, and YoY shipments rose 4.4 times. Meanwhile, imports of these semi-finished products declined sharply—down 67.4% YoY for Jan–May, and 69.4% YoY in May—underscoring growing global reliance on low-cost Chinese semi-finished steel.
