Chinese domestic steel section prices first increased in the past week while softening later in the week, with prices now up slightly on week-on-week basis.
As for billet, prices of the semi-finished steel product in the Chinese domestic market have showed a slight uptrend during the past week. In Tangshan, the current price of Q235 150 mm x 150 mm square billet is at RMB 2,950/mt ($416/mt), the price of 165 mm x 225 mm rectangular billet stands at RMB 2,970/mt ($419/mt), while the price of 20MnSi billet is at around RMB 3,050/mt ($430/mt). The prices are all ex-mill, including 13 percent VAT.
Mainstream ex-China H-beam section steel offer prices from Shanghai or Tianjin ports stand at $482-527/mt FOB as of today, Monday, November 3, up slightly compared to October 27.
Overall trading activity in the domestic steel section market has remained weak, while prices first increased on the back of upticks in billet prices, but later most traders chose to reduce their quoted prices in order to close more deals. As for the week ahead, considering the weakness of demand side but the support from the cost side, it is believed that steel section prices may continue to indicate minor fluctuations.
| Product name | Specification | City | Price (RMB/mt) | Weekly change (RMB/mt) | Price ($/mt) | Weekly change ($/mt) |
| Angle (Q235) | 50 mm x 50 mm x 5 mm | Shanghai | 3,380 | 10 | 477 | 1 |
| Beijing | 3,170 | 10 | 447 | 1 | ||
| Tangshan | 3,250 | 10 | 459 | 1 | ||
| Tianjin | 3,000 | 10 | 423 | 1 | ||
| Guangzhou | 3,490 | 20 | 492 | 3 | ||
| Average price | 3,258 | 12 | 460 | 2 | ||
| Channel (Q235) | 160 mm x 65 mm x 8.5 mm | Shanghai | 3,550 | 10 | 501 | 1 |
| Beijing | 3,140 | 10 | 443 | 1 | ||
| Tangshan | 3,240 | 10 | 457 | 1 | ||
| Tianjin | 3,010 | 20 | 425 | 3 | ||
| Guangzhou | 3,430 | 0 | 484 | 0 | ||
| Average price | 3,274 | 10 | 462 | 1 | ||
| I-beam (Q235) | 250 mm x 118 mm x 10 mm | Shanghai | 3,440 | 10 | 485 | 1 |
| Beijing | 3,230 | 10 | 456 | 1 | ||
| Tangshan | 3,330 | -40 | 470 | -6 | ||
| Tianjin | 3,090 | 20 | 436 | 3 | ||
| Guangzhou | 3,590 | 0 | 507 | 0 | ||
| Average price | 3,336 | 0 | 471 | 0 |
The prices are all ex-mill, including 13 percent VAT.
$1 = RMB 7.087
| Product Name | Category | Specification | Port | FOB Price(USD) | Rise & Fall (USD) |
| H beam | Q235B | 200*200*8*12 | Tianjin | 482 | 5 |
| Q235B | 600*200*11*17 | Tianjin | 507 | 5 | |
| SS400 | 200*200*8*12 | Tianjin | 487 | 5 | |
| SS400 | 600*200*11*17 | Tianjin | 512 | 5 | |
| S275JR | HEA200 | Tianjin | 497 | 5 | |
| A36 | W8*31 | Tianjin | 497 | 5 | |
| A36 | W12*65 | Tianjin | 512 | 5 | |
| A36 | W12*65 | Shanghai | 522 | 5 | |
| Q355B | 200*200*8*12 | Tianjin | 517 | 5 | |
| Q355B | 200*200*8*12 | Shanghai | 527 | 5 |