China's weak steel output, strong iron-ore imports show structural shift

From miningweekly.com

The contrast between China's weak steel production but robust iron-ore imports is continuing and is starting to look like a structural shift rather than a temporary dislocation. China, which produces just over half of the world's steel, recorded output of 86.63-million tons in April, down 2.8% from the same month in 2025 and the weakest April figure since 2018. For the first four months of the year steel production was 331.12-million tons, a drop of 4.1% from the same period last year. However, iron-ore imports rose 8% in the first four months of the year to 418.6-million tons, according to official data. April ... (full story)