During the week ending April 11, Chinese domestic semi-finished steel prices have indicated a significant decline, while transaction activity in the market has slackened and is now at low levels. Average prices of steel billet and slab in the local Chinese market are presented in the following table.
During the given week, with the overall downward trend seen in the finished steel market, Chinese rolling mills have been less willing to conclude purchases of semi-finished steel, resulting in a slackening of activity. Meanwhile, ferrous metal futures prices in China have decreased, which will weaken support for the semi-finished steel market. Against the backdrop of the rainy weather in most regions of China, which has negatively affected demand for finished steel, it is thought that semi-finished steel prices in the Chinese market will likely move down further in the coming week.
| Product Name | Spec. | Category | City | Price (RMB/mt) | Price ($/mt) | Weekly Change (RMB/mt) |
| Billet | 150 mm x 150 mm | Q195-Q235 | Tangshan | 3,000 | 435 | ↓90 |
| Jinzhong | 2,930 | 425 | ↓100 | |||
| Fuzhou | 3,100 | 449 | ↓100 | |||
| Jiangyin | 3,170 | 459 | ↓100 | |||
| Average price | 3,050 | 442 | ↓98 | |||
| Billet | 150 mm x 150 mm | 20 MnSi | Tangshan | 3,100 | 449 | ↓90 |
| Jinzhong | 3,020 | 438 | ↓100 | |||
| Fuzhou | 3,200 | 464 | ↓100 | |||
| Jiangyin | 3,310 | 480 | ↓100 | |||
| Average price | 3,158 | 458 | ↓98 | |||
| Slab | 250*1800*6000 | Q235 | Tangshan, Hebei | 3,020 | 438 | ↓100 |
All prices are ex-warehouse and on actual weight basis and include 17 percent VAT.
$1 = RMB 6.90