China May aluminium, steel exports rise as trade row rumbles on

BEIJING, June 8 (Reuters) – China’s aluminium exports rose to their highest in 3-1/2 years in May, while steel exports were the most since July 2017, as favourable price arbitrage to international markets encouraged more shipments overseas despite U.S. tariffs. China’s unwrought aluminium and aluminium product exports came in at 485,000 tonnes last month, the highest since December 2014, the General Administration of Customs said on Friday. Shipments were up 7.5 percent from 451,000 tonnes in April and up 12.8 percent from 430,000 tonnes in May 2017. Steel product exports stood at 6.88 million tonnes, up 5 percent from 6.48 million tonnes in April but down 1.4 percent year on year.