China and other world economics deal in metric tons (tonne) so these guys are probably just simplifying their balance sheets if a metric ton is a "gross" ton (a net ton to me would be how much is actual steel vs. the other crap that gets thrown in the and a gross ton would include everything in the pile).
Metals are commodities like other things such as grains and oil. The prices go up and down. Its hard to time markets. Most farmers around here that survived bad times such as the mid-1980s and such sell some of their corn and soybeans every month or so in the futures markets instead of all during harvest or right there after. The downside is that they don't catch the crest of huge spike in upward prices. The good side is that they don't get burned big time when prices crap out. Things tend to even out over time...
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