During the week ending August 15, average export offer prices of flat steel from China have moved on an overall downtrend, but since the middle of the week suppliers have started to be less aggressive, due to higher futures prices and increases in flat steel quotations in the local market. At present, export offers for boron-added 5.75 mm hot rolled coil (HRC) given by Chinese suppliers are at $485-495/mt FOB, while the lowest price from one mill was announced at $475/mt FOB in the middle of the week. Chinese coils are still being actively offered by traders to Vietnam at pretty competitive levels in the range of $490-495/mt CFR, but these offers have been facing strong competition from India.
The export offers for 1.0 mm cold rolled coil (CRC) given by Chinese suppliers are in the range of $530-540/mt FOB.
The downward trend of iron ore prices has put pressure on flat steel product offer prices, but the rises in ferrous metal futures prices in China starting from the beginning of this week has boosted confidence as regards the future prospects for the market. It is thought that flat steel product export prices from China will fluctuate within a limited range in the coming week.
Product name |
Quality |
Spec. |
Price ($/mt) FOB |
Weekly change ($/mt) |
Q235B/SS400 |
5.75 mm x 1,500 x C |
490 |
↓5 |
|
Q235B/SS400 |
2.75 mm x 1,250 x C |
550 |
↓5 |
|
ST12 |
1.0 mm x 1,250 x C |
535 |
↓10 |
|
ST12 |
0.6 mm x 1,250 x C |
565 |
↓10 |
|
HRP |
Q235 |
20 mm |
510 |
↓10 |
Shipbuilding Plate |
CCSA/B |
20 mm |
530 |
↓10 |
HDG |
SGCC |
1.0 mm x 1,250 mm x C |
600 |
↓10 |
SGCC |
0.5 mm x 1,000 mm x C |
635 |
↓10 |
|
PPGI |
CGCC |
0.476 mm x 1,000 mm x C |
750 |
↓10 |