Chinese domestic steel section prices have fluctuated by small margins during the past seven days.
As for billet, prices of the semi-finished steel product in the Chinese domestic market have edged up slightly during the past week. In Tangshan, the current price of Q235 150 mm x 150 mm square billet is at RMB 2,980/mt ($439/mt), the price of 165 mm x 225 mm rectangular billet stands at RMB 3,000/mt ($442/mt), while the price of 20MnSi billet is at around RMB 3,080/mt ($453/mt). The prices are all ex-mill, including 13 percent VAT.
Mainstream ex-China H-beam steel section offer prices from the ports of Shanghai and Tianjin stand at $481-516/mt FOB as of today, Monday, July 20, stable trend compared to July 13.
Overall trading activity in the Chinese steel section market has been weak due to the off-season and the summer weather. Although billet prices have edged up, most traders have chosen to keep their quoted prices stable or to reduce them slightly in order to close more deals. Production volumes have lately continued to decrease, providing support for steel section prices. As for the week ahead, it is believed that steel section prices may fluctuate by small margins, with slight downticks possible.
| Product name | Specification | City | Price (RMB/mt) | Weekly change (RMB/mt) | Price ($/mt) | Weekly change ($/mt) |
| Angle (Q235) | 50 mm x 50 mm x 5 mm | Shanghai | 3,400 | -10 | 500 | -1 |
| Beijing | 3,210 | 0 | 472 | 0 | ||
| Tangshan | 3,280 | -20 | 483 | -3 | ||
| Tianjin | 3,050 | -10 | 449 | -1 | ||
| Guangzhou | 3,440 | 0 | 506 | 0 | ||
| Average price | 3,276 | -8 | 482 | -1 | ||
| Channel (Q235) | 160 mm x 65 mm x 8.5 mm | Shanghai | 3,390 | -10 | 499 | -1 |
| Beijing | 3,200 | 0 | 471 | 0 | ||
| Tangshan | 3,270 | 0 | 481 | 0 | ||
| Tianjin | 3,040 | -10 | 447 | -1 | ||
| Guangzhou | 3,510 | 10 | 517 | 2 | ||
| Average price | 3,282 | -2 | 483 | -0 | ||
| I-beam (Q235) | 250 mm x 118 mm x 10 mm | Shanghai | 3,440 | -10 | 506 | -1 |
| Beijing | 3,270 | 0 | 481 | 0 | ||
| Tangshan | 3,350 | 10 | 493 | 2 | ||
| Tianjin | 3,110 | -10 | 458 | -1 | ||
| Guangzhou | 3,510 | 0 | 517 | 0 | ||
| Average price | 3,336 | -2 | 491 | -0 |
The prices are all ex-mill, including 13 percent VAT.
$1 = RMB 6.795
| Product Name | Category | Specification | Port | FOB Price(USD) | Rise & Fall (USD) |
| H beam | Q235B | 200*200*8*12 | Tianjin | 481 | 0 |
| Q235B | 600*200*11*17 | Tianjin | 506 | 0 | |
| SS400 | 200*200*8*12 | Tianjin | 486 | 0 | |
| SS400 | 600*200*11*17 | Tianjin | 511 | 0 | |
| S275JR | HEA200 | Tianjin | 496 | 0 | |
| A36 | W8*31 | Tianjin | 496 | 0 | |
| A36 | W12*65 | Tianjin | 511 | 0 | |
| A36 | W12*65 | Shanghai | 521 | 0 | |
| Q355B | 200*200*8*12 | Tianjin | 516 | 0 | |
| Q355B | 200*200*8*12 | Shanghai | 526 | 0 |
