Brazilian sales of flat steel by local distributors in May rose 2.2 percent, year-on-year, and 11.8 percent, month-on-month, to 275,100 mt, the nation’s distributors association, Inda, said.
According to Inda, purchases of flat steel by local distributors in May declined 0.9 percent, year-on-year, but improved 3.5 percent, month-on-month, to 250,700 mt.
Inventories in the fifth month of the year declined 2.7 percent, month-on-month, to 878,400 mt, while inventory’s turnover fell to 3.2 months, from 3.7 months in April.
Steel imports by local distributors in May diminished 70.5 percent, year-on-year, but increased 12.3 percent, month-on-month, to 51,800 mt.
As for June, Inda expects both local sales and purchases of flat steel to remain stable when compared to May’s results.
Inda’s president, Carlos Loureiro, said it sees no room for further price increases, following several hikes by the major steelmakers this year.
Commenting May’s figures, seen by Inda as positive, Loureiro said the distributors’ performance could have been better.
He said Companhia Siderurgica Nacional (CSN) had an issue at a blast furnace and as a result delayed several orders, but the local steelmaker should soon keep up the pace of steel shipments.