Finished steel imports up 60% during April-July, 2007

New Delhi, Aug 29 (UNI) The import of finished carbon steel during the first four months, April to July 2007, was up by 60.2 per cent over the same period last year.

According to an official release issued here today, during April to July 2007, the imports stood at 1.45 Million Tonnes (MT) compared to 0.90 MT in 2006.

Exports during the same period was up by 7.2 per cent, from 1.63 MT in April-July, 2006 to 1.75 MT this year.

Production of finished carbon steel went up by 4.1 per cent during April-July, 2007 and stood at 15.55 MT as against 14.94 MT in April-July 2006. Production of Pig Iron recorded a rise of 13.8 per cent at 1.60 MT.

On the price front, while there was no change in price of Pig Iron and GP Sheets in July compared to the previous month, the price of wire rods rose by 3.33 per cent, HR Coils by 2.94 per cent, CR Coils by 1.32 per cent and plates (12 mm) by 1.45 per cent respectively.

Prices of Pencil Ingots/Billets fell by 3.16 per cent while those of TOR/TOT (10 mm) went down by 1.54 per cent and rounds (16 mm) by 1.64 per cent during July, 2007 as against June, 2007.

UNI