Trading activity remains slack in Chinese domestic steel section market

The Chinese domestic steel section market has followed an upward trend during the past week.

In the Shanghai market, the price of 50 mm x 50 mm x 5 m steel angles is now at $573/mt (RMB 3,880/mt). The same product is sold at $554/mt (RMB 3,750/mt) in the Tangshan market and at $618/mt (RMB 4,190/mt) in the Guangzhou market. Meanwhile, prices of 160 mm x 65 mm x 8.5 mm steel channels stand at $554/mt (RMB 3,750/mt) in the Shanghai market, at $552/mt (RMB 3,740/mt) in Tangshan and at $623/mt (RMB 4,220/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 $555/mt (RMB 3,760/mt), $554/mt (RMB 3,750/mt) and $635/mt (RMB 4,300/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 increased in the past seven days. In Tangshan, the current price of Q235 150 x 150 mm square billet is at RMB 3,470/mt ($513/mt), the price of 165 x 225 mm rectangular billet stands at RMB 3,490/mt ($516/mt), while the price of 20MnSi billet is at around RMB 3,570/mt ($527/mt). The prices are all ex-mill, including 17 percent VAT.

Higher billet prices in China have been the main factor contributing to the upward movement of the Chinese domestic steel section market, where overall trading activity has remained sluggish. With prices already considered to be at high levels and given the current off-season for business, demand is unlikely to improve. It is believed that domestic steel section prices may fluctuate at their current high levels in the week ahead.

$1 = RMB 6.77