Chinese domestic steel section prices have followed a mostly stable trend during the past week.
As for billet, prices of the semi-finished steel product in the Chinese domestic market have moved down by slight margins during the past week. In Tangshan, the current price of Q235 150 mm x 150 mm square billet is at RMB 2,950/mt ($418/mt), the price of 165 mm x 225 mm rectangular billet stands at RMB 2,970/mt ($421/mt), while the price of 20MnSi billet is at around RMB 3,050/mt ($432/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 are standing at $478-523/mt FOB as of today, Monday, December 22, rising slightly compared to December 15.
Overall trading activity in the domestic steel market has been weak due to the cold weather, while prices have mostly remained stable given the sluggishness of demand, despite the slight upticks in billet prices which caused some steel section traders to raise their prices by small margins. As for the week ahead, it is believed that steel section prices may just indicate small fluctuations.
| Product name | Specification | City | Price (RMB/mt) | Weekly change (RMB/mt) | Price ($/mt) | Weekly change ($/mt) |
| Angle (Q235) | 50 mm x 50 mm x 5 mm | Shanghai | 3,390 | 0 | 480 | 1 |
| Beijing | 3,180 | 0 | 451 | 1 | ||
| Tangshan | 3,270 | 0 | 463 | 1 | ||
| Tianjin | 3,020 | 10 | 428 | 2 | ||
| Guangzhou | 3,510 | 10 | 497 | 2 | ||
| Average price | 3,274 | 4 | 464 | 1 | ||
| Channel (Q235) | 160 mm x 65 mm x 8.5 mm | Shanghai | 3,540 | 10 | 502 | 2 |
| Beijing | 3,150 | 0 | 446 | 1 | ||
| Tangshan | 3,250 | 10 | 461 | 2 | ||
| Tianjin | 3,030 | 10 | 429 | 2 | ||
| Guangzhou | 3,400 | 0 | 482 | 1 | ||
| Average price | 3,274 | 6 | 464 | 1 | ||
| I-beam (Q235) | 250 mm x 118 mm x 10 mm | Shanghai | 3,430 | 0 | 486 | 1 |
| Beijing | 3,230 | 0 | 458 | 1 | ||
| Tangshan | 3,330 | 0 | 472 | 1 | ||
| Tianjin | 3,110 | 10 | 441 | 2 | ||
| Guangzhou | 3,560 | 0 | 504 | 1 | ||
| Average price | 3,332 | 2 | 472 | 1 |
The prices are all ex-mill, including 13 percent VAT.
$1 = RMB 7.057
| Product Name | Category | Specification | Port | FOB Price(USD) | Rise & Fall (USD) |
| H beam | Q235B | 200*200*8*12 | Tianjin | 478 | 1 |
| Q235B | 600*200*11*17 | Tianjin | 503 | 1 | |
| SS400 | 200*200*8*12 | Tianjin | 483 | 1 | |
| SS400 | 600*200*11*17 | Tianjin | 508 | 1 | |
| S275JR | HEA200 | Tianjin | 493 | 1 | |
| A36 | W8*31 | Tianjin | 493 | 1 | |
| A36 | W12*65 | Tianjin | 508 | 1 | |
| A36 | W12*65 | Shanghai | 518 | 1 | |
| Q355B | 200*200*8*12 | Tianjin | 513 | 1 | |
| Q355B | 200*200*8*12 | Shanghai | 523 | 1 |
