The Chinese domestic steel section market has indicated a downward trend in the past week.
In the Shanghai market, the price of 50 mm x 50 mm x 5 m steel angles is now at $323/mt. The same product is sold at $267/mt in the Tangshan market and at $369/mt in the Guangzhou market. Meanwhile, prices of 160 mm x 65 mm x 8.5 mm steel channels stand at $313/mt in the Shanghai market, at $269/mt in Tangshan and at $358/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 $332/mt, $285/mt and $381/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 again during the past seven days. In Tangshan, the current price of Q235 150 x 150 mm square billet is at RMB 1,460/mt ($232/mt), the price of 165 x 225 mm rectangular billet stands at RMB 1,490/mt ($235/mt), while the price of 20MnSi billet is at around RMB 1,580/mt ($250/mt). The prices are all ex-mill, including 17 percent VAT.
The Chinese domestic steel section market has continued to see slack activity during the past week, while inventories are already at low levels. Upstream billet prices are still following a weak trend, while mills’ steel section quotations have decreased again. As for the coming week, the local Chinese steel section market may indicate slight decreases especially as the declines in billet prices have provided more room for downward price movement.
| Product name | Spec. | Category | City | Steel plant/origin | Price (RMB/mt) | Price ($/mt) | Weekly change (RMB/mt) |
| Angle | 1 mm x 1 mm x 5 mm | Q235 | Shanghai | Masteel | 2,040 | 318 | ↓20 |
| Beijing | Tangshan | 1,820 | 284 | ↓40 | |||
| Tangshan | Tangshan | 1,690 | 264 | ↓50 | |||
| Tianjin | Zhaobo | 2,000 | 312 | ↓40 | |||
| Guangzhou | Tongsteel | 2,330 | 363 | ↓20 | |||
| Average | - | 1,976 | 308 | ↓34 | |||
| Channel | 160 mm x 65 mm x 8.5 mm | Q235 | Shanghai | Masteel | 1,980 | 309 | ↓20 |
| Beijing | Xuangang | 1,860 | 290 | ↓40 | |||
| Tangshan | Tangshan | 1,700 | 265 | ↓40 | |||
| Tianjin | Jiangtian | 1,750 | 273 | ↓20 | |||
| Guangzhou | Liusteel | 2,260 | 353 | ↓20 | |||
| Average | - | 1,910 | 298 | ↓28 | |||
| I Beam | 21 mm x 118 mm x 10 mm | Q235 | Shanghai | Laiwu | 2,100 | 328 | ↓20 |
| Beijing | Laiwu | 1,900 | 296 | ↓40 | |||
| Tangshan | Tangshan | 1,800 | 281 | ↓60 | |||
| Tianjin | Haicheng | 1,900 | 296 | ↓60 | |||
| Guangzhou | Haicheng | 2,410 | 376 | ↓40 | |||
| Average | - | 2,066 | 323 | ↓32 |
The prices are on theoretical weight basis, all prices include 17 percent VAT and all prices are ex-warehouse.
$1 = RMB 6.41