China’s Steel Import & Export Volumes Hold Steady in August 2026
In August 2026, China's steel import and export volumes were broadly stable. Steel imports fell 2.5% month-on-month to 434,000 tonnes, with the average price up 2.6% to US$2,002.3/t. Cumulative imports for January–August dropped 10.5% year-on-year, indicating continued weak domestic demand. Steel exports edged up 0.3% to 10.155 million tonnes, with the price rising 0.9% to US$722.2/t. Despite a 3.0% year-to-date decline, the month-on-month gain in August points to export resilience. Iron ore imports held at a high level of 108.5 million tonnes (+0.4% MoM), but the average price fell 5.1% to US$95.5/t, showing a "higher volume, lower price" trend. Year-to-date ore imports rose 5.5% to 845 million tonnes. Overall, steel trade volumes trailed last year's levels while iron ore imports kept growing, warranting close monitoring of supply-demand shifts and policy ahead.
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