London 23/05/2016 - Monthly Chinese imports of tin ores from Myanmar edged lower in April but in the year to date they remain almost double last year's levels.
China imported 46,395 tonnes of tin ores and concentrates from Myanmar in April, down 2.5 percent from the 47,594 tonnes imported in March, according to official data released today.
But imports are up massively so far in 2016 - the country imported 175,108 tonnes from Myanmar in the first four months of the year, up 92 percent on the same period of 2015.
LME tin prices dropped 2.6 percent in today's trading, breaking below the key $16,000 level. The metal recently traded at $16,025 per tonne, still down $435 on Monday's close.
The trend of huge ore imports from Myanmar to China has led to a swing in prices, enabling the world's biggest consumer of the metal to become essentially self-sufficient in terms of refined tin.
China imported just 564 tonnes of refined tin in April, down 51 percent on the same month last year. Just 2,961 tonnes were imported in the first four months of the year.
(Editing by Mark Shaw)