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 showed a slightly reduce trend during past seven days. In Tangshan, the current price of Q235 150 mm x 150 mm square billet is at RMB 2,970/mt ($423/mt), the price of 165 mm x 225 mm rectangular billet stands at RMB 2,990/mt ($425/mt), while the price of 20MnSi billet is at around RMB 3,070/mt ($437/mt). The prices are all ex-mill, including 13 percent VAT.
Mainstream ex-China H-beam section steel offer prices from the ports of Shanghai or Tianjin stand at $483-528/mt FOB as of today, Monday, December 8, up slightly compared to December 1.
Overall trading activity in the domestic steel section market has been weak due to the off-season and the cold weather. Prices of billet and other raw materials have followed a slightly soft trend, which exerts some pressure on steel section prices. However, since production volumes and market inventory levels are still on the low side, some traders have chosen to slightly increase their quoted prices. As for the week ahead, it is believed that steel section prices may just indicate small fluctuations.
| Product name | Specification | City | Price (RMB/mt) | Weekly change (RMB/mt) | Price ($/mt) | Weekly change ($/mt) |
| Angle (Q235) | 50 mm x 50 mm x 5 mm | Shanghai | 3,410 | 0 | 482 | 0 |
| Beijing | 3,200 | 20 | 452 | 3 | ||
| Tangshan | 3,290 | 10 | 465 | 1 | ||
| Tianjin | 3,010 | 0 | 425 | 0 | ||
| Guangzhou | 3,500 | 0 | 495 | 0 | ||
| Average price | 3,282 | 6 | 464 | 1 | ||
| Channel (Q235) | 160 mm x 65 mm x 8.5 mm | Shanghai | 3,600 | 0 | 509 | 0 |
| Beijing | 3,170 | 20 | 448 | 3 | ||
| Tangshan | 3,260 | 10 | 461 | 1 | ||
| Tianjin | 3,020 | 0 | 427 | 0 | ||
| Guangzhou | 3,420 | 0 | 483 | 0 | ||
| Average price | 3,294 | 6 | 466 | 1 | ||
| I-beam (Q235) | 250 mm x 118 mm x 10 mm | Shanghai | 3,470 | 0 | 490 | 0 |
| Beijing | 3,250 | 20 | 459 | 3 | ||
| Tangshan | 3,360 | 0 | 475 | 0 | ||
| Tianjin | 3,100 | 0 | 438 | 0 | ||
| Guangzhou | 3,580 | 0 | 506 | 0 | ||
| Average price | 3,352 | 4 | 474 | 1 |
The prices are all ex-mill, including 13 percent VAT.
$1 = RMB 7.076
| Product Name | Category | Specification | Port | FOB Price(USD) | Rise & Fall (USD) |
| H beam | Q235B | 200*200*8*12 | Tianjin | 483 | 2 |
| Q235B | 600*200*11*17 | Tianjin | 508 | 2 | |
| SS400 | 200*200*8*12 | Tianjin | 488 | 2 | |
| SS400 | 600*200*11*17 | Tianjin | 513 | 2 | |
| S275JR | HEA200 | Tianjin | 498 | 2 | |
| A36 | W8*31 | Tianjin | 498 | 2 | |
| A36 | W12*65 | Tianjin | 513 | 2 | |
| A36 | W12*65 | Shanghai | 523 | 2 | |
| Q355B | 200*200*8*12 | Tianjin | 518 | 2 | |
| Q355B | 200*200*8*12 | Shanghai | 528 | 2 |