Chinese domestic steel section market moves on slight downtrend

Chinese domestic steel section prices have followed a slight downtrend during the past week.

In the Shanghai market, the price of 50 mm x 50 mm x 5 m steel angles is now at $488/mt (RMB 3,350/mt). The same product is sold at $452/mt (RMB 3,100/mt) in the Tangshan market and at $511/mt (RMB 3,510/mt) in the Guangzhou market. Meanwhile, prices of 160 mm x 65 mm x 8.5 mm steel channels stand at $484/mt (RMB 3,320/mt) in the Shanghai market, at $458/mt (RMB 3,140/mt) in Tangshan and at $513/mt (RMB 3,520/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 $491/mt (RMB 3,370/mt), $463/mt (RMB 3,180/mt) and $587/mt (RMB 4,030/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 softened slightly in the past week. In Tangshan, the current price of Q235 150 x 150 mm square billet is at RMB 2,750/mt ($401/mt), the price of 165 x 225 mm rectangular billet stands at RMB 2,780/mt ($405/mt), while the price of 20MnSi billet is at around RMB 2,870/mt ($418/mt). The prices are all ex-mill, including 17 percent VAT.

Overall trading activity in the local Chinese steel section market has remained at very low levels in the past seven days as many traders and downstream buyers are still on holiday, while the minor decrease in market prices is due mainly to the soft trend of billet prices. It is believed that domestic steel section prices will continue to move on a slight downtrend in the week ahead.

$1 = RMB 6.86