Steel production in China decreased to 77.9 million tonnes in August from nearly 83 million tonnes in July. Its steel imports dipped by 9 per cent year-on-year in July.
After a long period of remaining unchanged, the selling prices of construction steel products on the domestic market have increased four times since the beginning of 2023, especially on two consecutive days on January 30 and 31.
Steel prices have been steadily on the decline in the last few weeks as prices for raw materials ped on the global market, according to the Vietnam Steel Association (VSA).
After increasing inventories at the beginning of 2021 to take advantage of price differences to maximise profits, the strategy has now hit steel producers hard as global steel prices plunged at the end of the year.
Steel has hit a new high after a series of rapid price increases from May through June 2021 when they increased by more than 50 per cent compared to the beginning of the year.
Although local iron and steel prices have ped, they are still at high rates, up 1.7 times compared to the end of 2020, causing investors and construction contractors to suffer.
Ministry of Industry and Trade has denied rumours that it proposed the establishment of a State stabilisation fund to cope with the sudden increase in steel prices that has impacted many businesses.