According to the statistics released by the French Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industry, in the first five months of this year France's basic steel product and ferroalloy exports amounted to a value of €4 billion, decreasing by 10.1 percent year on year.
France's steel product and ferroalloy export value has been on a downtrend on year-on-year basis since August last year. Steel and ferroalloys ranked ninth in the first five months this year among the most exported products of the country, while the aerospace industry was the sector with the highest export value in the January-May period with €180 billion. Meanwhile, the country's motor vehicle exports amounted to €9.75 billion in the first five months, decreasing by 10.8 percent year on year.
During the period in question, France exported €906 million of steel pipes and tubes - up 2.6 percent, €209 million of cold rolled steel strip - up three percent, €162 million of cold drawn wire - down seven percent, €143 million of cold rolled steel bars - down 18.5 percent, €229 million of metal structures and parts - down 16.9 percent, all compared to January-May 2012.
Meanwhile, in the January-May period of this year France's basic steel product and ferroalloy imports totaled €3.8 billion, down 9.6 percent year on year.
During the given period, France imported €681 million of steel pipes and tubes - down 7.5 percent, €250 million of cold rolled steel strip - down 1.8 percent, €169 million of cold rolled steel bars - down 17.8 percent, €154 million of cold drawn wire - down 11.2 percent, and €530 million of metal structures and parts - down nine percent, all compared to the same period of the previous year.
