The local Chinese steel pipe market has mainly moved on a slightly soft trend during the past week.
As of January 5, in China's three main steel markets, i.e., Shanghai, Guangzhou and Beijing, the average price of 20# (GB/T8162-1999) grade 108 mm x 4.5 mm seamless pipe now stands at $624/mt (RMB 4,333/mt), with 20# (GB/T8163-1999) grade 219 mm x 6 mm seamless pipe at $628/mt (RMB 4,367/mt). Meanwhile, on the same date, Q195-215 grade 48 mm x 3.25 mm welded pipe and Q215-235 grade 114 mm x 3.75 mm welded pipe prices in the above markets are standing at $511/mt (RMB 3,553/mt) and $515/mt (RMB 3,577/mt) respectively. All the above prices include 17 percent VAT.
Chinese domestic seamless pipe prices have generally indicated a slight downtrend in the past seven days. Overall trading activity is at low levels and downstream demand appears unlikely to improve in the current period. Traders have made minor reductions to their prices in order to bring in funds, though some product prices have remained unchanged. With the Chinese New Year approaching, it is believed there will not be any large fluctuations in prices in the week ahead.
The local Chinese welded pipe market has mostly seen a slightly softening of prices during the past week. Trading activity remains slack amid the ongoing weakness of downstream demand, while on the upstream side prices of steel strip and of raw materials have mostly indicated downticks. As for the week ahead, further slight reductions in local welded pipe prices may be observed given the soft trend of upstream costs.
| Product Name | Spec. | Category | City | Steel Plant/Origin | Price (RMB/mt) | Price ($/mt) | Weekly Change (RMB/mt) |
| Seamless pipe | Φ108 mm x 4.5 mm | 20# (GB/T8162-1999) | Shanghai | Wuxi | 4,100 | 592 | ↓50 |
| Guangzhou | Shandong | 4,600 | 665 | ↓90 | |||
| Beijing | Angang | 4,300 | 621 | 0 | |||
| Average price | - | 4,333 | 626 | ↓47 | |||
| Φ219 mm x 6 mm | 20# (GB/T8163-1999) | Shanghai | Zhenda | 4,200 | 607 | 0 | |
| Guangzhou | Angang | 4,650 | 672 | ↓90 | |||
| Beijing | Shandong | 4,250 | 614 | 0 | |||
| Average price | - | 4,667 | 674 | ↓31 | |||
| Welded pipe | Φ48 mm x 3.25 mm | Q195-Q215 | Shanghai | Tangshan | 3,570 | 516 | 0 |
| Guangzhou | Guangzhou | 3,700 | 535 | ↓50 | |||
| Beijing | Jinghua | 3,390 | 490 | ↓30 | |||
| Average price | - | 3,553 | 513 | ↓27 | |||
| Ф114 mm x 3.75 mm | Q215-Q235 | Shanghai | Huaqi | 3,610 | 522 | 0 | |
| Guangzhou | Guangzhou | 3,750 | 542 | ↓50 | |||
| Beijing | Zengzhou | 3,370 | 487 | ↓30 | |||
| Average price | - | 3,577 | 517 | ↓26 |
17 percent VAT is included in all prices and all prices are ex-warehouse.
$1 = RMB 6.92