The silver lining in slowing domestic demand for steel: higher exports

Posted on:
Key Points

NEW DELHI : Indias steel exports are likely to maintain their upward trajectory through the ongoing first fiscal quarter as the election season has softened domestic demand for the alloy..

Some analysts predict India will shortly return to being a net exporter of steel owing to a deceleration in domestic demand in the runup to the national election..

India, which was a net exporter of steel till October, started to turn a net importer in November, when imports for the first eight months of the year (April-November) stood at 4.3 mt, 0.3 mt more than the exports..

Citing data of domestic steel companies during state assembly elections last year, Ritabrata Ghosh, vice president, sector head, corporate sector ratings, at Icra, said trends since December reveal a marked slowdown in consumption growth to 6-7%..

The recent export increase can be linked to a decrease in domestic demand, likely stemming from a slowdown in infrastructure project implementationsa typical occurrence before a general election," said Ranjan Dhar, chief marketing officer, ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India..

You might be interested in

Steel exports down by a third on weak demand, Chinese competition

27, Aug, 23

Chinese mills are also reported to be undercutting other steel producers in terms of prices. This, in turn, has had an impact on exports by Indian steel companies, with countries in the Middle East and Vietnam buying more steel from China.

India's steel exports hit 18-month high in January 2024

25, Feb, 24

India Business News: India's steel exports reached an 18-month high of 1.1 million tonnes in January 2024, driven by increased demand from the European Union and favourable global prices. Find out more about the reasons behind the surge in exports and the impact on the domestic steel industry.