During the week ending July 16, Chinese export offers of flat steel products have continued their overall declining trend. At present, export offers for boron-added 5.75 mm hot rolled coil (HRC) given by Chinese suppliers are at $315-335/mt FOB, while export offers for 1.0 mm cold rolled coil (CRC) given by Chinese suppliers are at $375-395/mt FOB, though there is some room for negotiating further price decreases in actual transactions.
Product name | Quality | Spec. | Price ($/mt) FOB | Weekly change ($/mt) |
Q235B/SS400 | 5.75 mm x 1500 x C | 325 | -20 | |
Q235B/SS400 | 2.75 mm x 1250 x C | 335 | -20 | |
ST12 | 1.0 mm x 1250 x C | 385 | -10 | |
ST12 | 0.6 mm x 1250 x C | 390 | -10 | |
HRP | Q235 | 20 mm | 350 | -10 |
Shipbuilding Plate | CCSA/B | 20 mm | 365 | -10 |
PPGI | CGCC | 0.476 mm x 1000 mm x C | 655 | -10 |
HDG | SGCC | 1.0 mm x 1250 mm x C | 460 | -10 |
SGCC | 0.5 mm x 1000 mm x C | 470 | -10 |
During the given week, HRC and CRC prices in the Chinese domestic market have indicated decreases, exerting a negative impact on export offer prices for these products. However, the summer holiday season in overseas markets has resulted in slack demand. Currently, market participants are mostly pessimistic on the future prospects for the export market, while exporters have been cutting their prices amid intense competition.