Shipments of permanent magnets from China to the US totalled 994 tonnes in January and February, down nearly 22.5 per cent year on year, according to data from China’s General Administration of Customs. This marks the seventh consecutive month of decline, while exports to the EU rose 28.4 per cent to 4,775 tonnes.
Latest data released on Friday by China’s General Administration of Customs shows that shipments of permanent magnets to the US totalled 994 tonnes in January and February 2026, down nearly 22.5 per cent year on year. This marked the seventh consecutive month of decline. Over the two months, the US was China’s third-largest buyer of rare earth magnets, behind Germany and South Korea, accounting for 9.2 per cent of total exports. Exports to the EU, meanwhile, continued their upwards trend, reaching 4,775 tonnes – up 28.4 per cent year on year – and raising the bloc’s share of China’s magnet exports to 44.4 per cent. Beijing typically combines January and February trade data to limit distortions caused by the varying dates of the Chinese New Year. The figures highlight a shift in China’s rare earth magnet export patterns, with declining US-bound shipments and rising European imports.
