Overview of Steel Inventory

Overall Inventory Status

In early May, the total social inventory of the five major steel types across 21 cities amounted to 11.55 million tons. This represented a decrease of 440,000 tons compared to the previous month, marking a 3.7% decline. However, it showcased a significant increase of 4.26 million tons (58.4%) since the beginning of the year and a 2.2% increase from the same period last year.

Regional Inventory Analysis

During early May, except for a slight increase in inventory in the Northeast region compared to the previous month, the seven major regions all experienced varying degrees of decreases. Here’s the breakdown:

Northwest: Decreased by 140,000 tons (13.3% decrease).
East China: Decreased by 90,000 tons (2.7% decrease).
South China: Decreased by 80,000 tons (2.8% decrease).
North China: Decreased by 70,000 tons (6.4% decrease).
Southwest China: Decreased by 70,000 tons (4.6% decrease).
Central China: Decreased by 10,000 tons (0.7% decrease).
Northeast: Increased by 20,000 tons (2.4% increase).

Inventory Analysis by Steel Type

Hot Rolled Coils
- Inventory: 2.42 million tons.
- Change: Increased by 60,000 tons (2.5% increase).
- Year-on-year Change: Increased by 330,000 tons (15.8% increase).
Cold Rolled Coils
- Inventory: 1.35 million tons.
- Change: Decreased by 20,000 tons (1.5% decrease).
- Year-on-year Change: Increased by 110,000 tons (8.9% increase).
Medium and Thick Plate
- Inventory: 1.31 million tons.
- Change: Decreased by 40,000 tons (3.0% decrease).
- Year-on-year Change: Increased by 350,000 tons (36.5% increase).
Wire Rod
- Inventory: 1.08 million tons.
- Change: Decreased by 110,000 tons (9.2% decrease).
- Year-on-year Change: Decreased by 430,000 tons (28.5% decrease).
Rebar
- Inventory: 5.39 million tons.
- Change: Decreased by 330,000 tons (5.8% decrease).
- Year-on-year Change: Decreased by 110,000 tons (2.0% decrease).