China’s steel market is not collapsing despite the property downturn. Instead, demand is stabilising at a lower level as manufacturing, exports and new energy sectors gradually replace construction-driven demand. This is not a demand collapse, it’s a structural shift from property to industrial and export-driven demand. What’s Really Happening The sharp drop in construction activity has clearly hurt steel demand: Property-related steel (like rebar) has fallen significantly Construction’s share of demand is shrinking But the broader market tells a different story: Total steel demand is only slightly below past peaks Manufacturing, shipbuilding and energy transition sectors are absorbing demand Exports are acting as a key buffer Instead of a sudden crash, the industry is entering a long plateau . Why This Matters The market had expected a sharp collapse but reality is more gradual: Demand is declining slowly, not falling off a cliff China is shifting from construction-led growth to ...
After a resilient economy in the year 2012, we are now in 2013 and I'm thinking that we have yet to see the worst from 2012. I'm not sure that whether global economy will be getting worse or getting better, however I know it myself that own economy might turn bad if inflation continue to go up, while salary maintaining slightly higher or the same. Hence, this year, I will set a rather defensive financial resolution sort of to protect the capital, while having slight growth over the year in line with the inflation.The target growth of the stocks portfolio is expected to be about 10%, with the growth mainly in the dividend stocks and oversea stocks. As almost everyone in the country are expecting there will be a slight correction in stock market due to the General Election which is due to held this year, I won't be allocating some portion from the salary to the stock market, at least until second half of the year. Instead, the money will go to the house loan first -...