In the Shanghai market, the price of 50 mm x 50 mm x 5 m steel angles is now at $551/mt. The same product is sold at $498/mt in the Tangshan market and at $568/mt in the Guangzhou market. Meanwhile, prices of 160 mm x 65 mm x 8.5 mm steel channels stand at $530/mt in the Shanghai market, at $502/mt in Tangshan and at $584/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 $558/mt, $520/mt and $595/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 continued to indicate minor decreases during the past week. In Tangshan, the current price of Q235 150 x 150 mm square billet is at RMB 2,790/mt ($457/mt), the price of 165 x 225 mm rectangular billet stands at RMB 2,820/mt ($462/mt), while the price of 20MnSi billet is around RMB 2,910/mt ($476/mt). The prices are all ex-mill, including 17 percent VAT.
The overall trading volume in the Chinese domestic steel section market is still slack. Most traders are downbeat on the prospects for the market and believe that prices may soften further during the next few weeks, even though local steel section prices are already considered to be at fairly low levels.