In September this year, the purchasing managers index (PMI) of the steel sector in China’s Hebei Province decreased to 48.7 percent, down 6.8 percentage points month on month, as announced by the Hebei Province Metallurgical Industry Association (MIA). In the given month, the trend of the PMI for the steel sector in Hebei Province was the same as that for the whole of China, which decreased by 2.1 percentage points month on month to 47.7 percent, as announced by the China Steel Logistics Committee (CSLC).
In the given period, the average prices of steel channel and hot rolled steel strip declined by 0.5 percent and 0.4 percent, respectively, the average prices of both high-speed wire rod and welded steel pipe remained stable, while the average price of rebar increased by 0.2 percent, all week on week.
In the same period, the average prices of coking coal and smoke-free lump coal increased by 2.1 percent and 0.5 percent, respectively, while the average price of thermal coal remained unchanged, week on week.