Steel trade faces stiff challenges

China's steel exports are expected to further decrease this year while the total output may fall marginally, a senior official with the China Iron and Steel Association said yesterday.

Luo Bingsheng, vice-chairman of the China Iron and Steel Association said steel exports from China would decrease as overseas demand is expected to remain weak for most of the year.

Steel exports fell 5.5 percent year-on-year to 59.23 million tons last year, the General Administration of Customs said earlier this month.