Imports and Exports of Electrolytic Copper Show Trends Contrary to Each Other in 2003

摘要

Imports slide 2 percent from a year ago to 411,000 tons, while exports skyrocket 174 percent to 39,000 tons. Imports of electrolytic copper were found to have slightly decreased in 2003 compared with the preceding year, while exports sharply increased. Annual imports of electrolytic copper in 2003 totaled 411,245 tons, down 2.0 percent from 419,475 tons in 2002, while exports of domestic electric copper posted 39,765 tons, up 174.1 percent from 14,508 tons a year ago. Analysts said that such a drop in the annual imports of electrolytic copper last year was not only due to a high rise in copper scrap consumption by domestic consumers in the first half of the year, but also due to global supply shortages and a consequent surge in the electrolytic copper price.