Activity still slow in local Chinese steel section market

The Chinese domestic steel section market has mostly moved on a downward trend in the past seven days.

 

In the Shanghai market, the price of 50 mm x 50 mm x 5 m steel angles is now at $371/mt. The same product is sold at $321/mt in the Tangshan market and at $415/mt in the Guangzhou market. Meanwhile, prices of 160 mm x 65 mm x 8.5 mm steel channels stand at $363/mt in the Shanghai market, at $321/mt in Tangshan and at $402/mt in the Guangzhou market. In the Shanghai, Tangshan and Guangzhou markets, 250 mm x 118 mm x 10 m I-beam prices stand respectively at $355/mt, $324/mt and $416/mt. The prices are all ex-mill, including 17 percent VAT. Steel section prices in the Chinese domestic market can be viewed in the SteelOrbis price reports section.

 

As for billet, prices in the Chinese domestic market have indicated a stable trend during the past week. In Tangshan, the current price of Q235 150 x 150 mm square billet is at RMB 1,730/mt ($281/mt), the price of 165 x 225 mm rectangular billet stands at RMB 1,760/mt ($286/mt), while the price of 20MnSi billet is at around RMB 1,850/mt ($301/mt). The prices are all ex-mill, including 17 percent VAT.

 

The local Chinese steel section market mostly moved down in the past week, but started to indicate some upticks in prices near the end of the week. In the Tangshan market, steel section prices have rebounded slightly during the given week. Overall trading activity in the domestic market has remained slack. Further downward movement in prices is expected in the coming week, though decrease margins will likely be smaller.

 

 

 

 

The prices are on theoretical weight basis, all prices include 17 percent VAT and all prices are ex-warehouse.

 

$1 = RMB 6.21