China Copper, Aluminium, Crude Steel output rises in May: NBS

Metal Recycling News  |  2012-06-11 09:33:36   |   By

China copper, aluminium and crude steel production rose in May as compared to May last year, as per latest data released by National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Monday.

BEIJING (Scrap Monster): China copper, aluminium and crude steel production rose in May as compared to May last year, as per latest data released by National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Monday.

According to NBS, China copper production advanced by 5% year-on-year to 484000 tons in May and down 1.4% month-on-month as the economic slowdown damped consumption. Its second consecutive month of decline for the red metal.

The cumulative Copper production gained by 8.1% year-on-year to 2378000 tons in January-May this year. Increase in production has come at the time when the imports of unwrought Copper showed a appreciation in the month of May, the data showed.

Rise in production and increase in imports is positive for the metal, where main concerns were slowdown of demand from China. China is a 40% consumer of Copper in the world.

NBS data mentioned that, Country's Crude steel output, most of which feeds China's all-important construction sector, rose 2.5% on year and 1.1% on month in May to 61.23 million metric tons, the second-highest monthly volume on record. Average Crude steel daily production in May fell 2.5% compared with April to 1.97 million tons.

NBS also noted that, China's aluminium output rose for a seventh straight month in May 2012 to a new record high as Chinese smelters continued to expand production while the rest of the world cut back.

Country's daily output averaged 54,290 tpd last month, up 6% from April’s level and 9.1% higher year-on-year. Output in all of May was 1.68 million tons, 5.7% higher compare to last year.