China imported 4,220 tonnes of refined tin in November, the highest monthly total since April 2009. Half of the imports were from Malaysia, which is believed to be reflect shipments from LME warehouses there. The total imports have arrived at 18,951 tonnes in the first eleven months of 2011, up by 25% year-on-year. Imports have surged to 13,425 tonnes in the four months from August to November, when the Chinese domestic market price was at a big premium to the LME. However, the large imports and number of importers brought strong downward pressure on domestic prices, which have fallen close to 15% since October and reduced incentives for arbitrage business.
China imported 3,607 tonnes (gross weight) of tin ores and concentrates in November, up by 54% y-o-y. The imports are mainly from Myanmar and Bolivia. The total imports in January-November were 24,241 tonnes, up by 40% compared to the same period of 2010.
