MONTHLY: China's May crude stainless steel output dips 1% MoM

China's crude stainless steel output fell for the second consecutive month to reach 3.46 million tonnes in May, down by 1.13% from April, though the figure remained 4.94% higher compared with May 2024, according to Mysteel's survey of 43 domestic stainless steelmakers.

The monthly decrease largely reflected seasonal production adjustments, as many stainless steel mills produced cautiously in response to subdued downstream demand and an anticipated summer lull for stainless consumption, market sources observed. Among all product grades, 200-series crude stainless steel posted the sharpest decline. Output for this category registered 976,100 tonnes in May, down 3.58%