According to data from China’s National Bureau of Statistics, Chinese coal production for April amounted to 363.9 MMT, which is down 8.4% MOM and up 12.4% YOY. The figures denote a continued high production level following the country’s energy shortage last winter, with YTD production of 1,447.8 MMT being up 11.8% YOY and 25.6% above the 5-year average. YTD, China’s electricity production has amounted to 2,603bn kwh, which is up 3.0% YOY, but with thermal electricity production (i.e. coal) constituting only 72% of the total versus 75% at the start of 2022 and at the same period last year, respectively.

 
April 2022 saw steel and pig iron production of 92.8 MMT (down 10.4% YOY) and 79.4 MMT (down 7.3% YOY), respectively – marking the second highest April production figures on record for both commodity types. YTD, production volumes have reached 336.2 MMT for steel and 280.3 MMT for pig iron, which is well above their respective 5-year averages of 314.4 MMT and 264.9 MMT.