Chinese domestic steel section prices have kept moving up during the past week.
As for billet, prices of the semi-finished steel product in the Chinese domestic market have indicated small increases during the past week. In Tangshan, the current price of Q235 150 mm x 150 mm square billet is at RMB 3,090/mt ($432/mt), the price of 165 mm x 225 mm rectangular billet stands at RMB 3,110/mt ($435/mt), while the price of 20MnSi billet is at around RMB 3,190/mt ($446/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 $502-547/mt FOB as of today, Monday, July 28, have moved up strongly compared to July 21.
Overall trading activity in the domestic steel section market has been at normal levels during the past seven days, while prices have risen further supported by upticks in billet prices, though some new decreases in raw material prices have limited the upward movement of steel billet prices. As for the week ahead, it is believed that steel section prices may soften slightly in reaction to the increases of the past two weeks.
| Product name | Specification | City | Price (RMB/mt) | Weekly change (RMB/mt) | Price ($/mt) | Weekly change ($/mt) |
| Angle (Q235) | 50 mm x 50 mm x 5 mm | Shanghai | 3,520 | 90 | 493 | 13 |
| Beijing | 3,360 | 100 | 470 | 14 | ||
| Tangshan | 3,460 | 120 | 484 | 17 | ||
| Tianjin | 3,230 | 100 | 452 | 14 | ||
| Guangzhou | 3,580 | 130 | 501 | 19 | ||
| Average price | 3,430 | 108 | 480 | 15 | ||
| Channel (Q235) | 160 mm x 65 mm x 8.5 mm | Shanghai | 3,660 | 110 | 512 | 16 |
| Beijing | 3,330 | 100 | 466 | 14 | ||
| Tangshan | 3,420 | 90 | 479 | 13 | ||
| Tianjin | 3,210 | 100 | 449 | 14 | ||
| Guangzhou | 3,530 | 90 | 494 | 13 | ||
| Average price | 3,430 | 98 | 480 | 14 | ||
| I-beam (Q235) | 250 mm x 118 mm x 10 mm | Shanghai | 3,560 | 90 | 498 | 13 |
| Beijing | 3,420 | 100 | 479 | 14 | ||
| Tangshan | 3,530 | 120 | 494 | 17 | ||
| Tianjin | 3,280 | 100 | 459 | 14 | ||
| Guangzhou | 3,630 | 30 | 508 | 5 | ||
| Average price | 3,484 | 88 | 487 | 13 |
The prices are all ex-mill, including 13 percent VAT.
| Product name | Category | Specification | Port | FOB price ($/mt) | Weekly change ($/mt) |
| H beam | Q235B | 200*200*8*12 | Tianjin | 502 | 17 |
| Q235B | 600*200*11*17 | Tianjin | 527 | 17 | |
| SS400 | 200*200*8*12 | Tianjin | 507 | 17 | |
| SS400 | 600*200*11*17 | Tianjin | 532 | 17 | |
| S275JR | HEA200 | Tianjin | 517 | 17 | |
| A36 | W8*31 | Tianjin | 517 | 17 | |
| A36 | W12*65 | Tianjin | 532 | 17 | |
| A36 | W12*65 | Shanghai | 542 | 17 | |
| Q355B | 200*200*8*12 | Tianjin | 537 | 17 | |
| Q355B | 200*200*8*12 | Shanghai | 547 | 17 |
$1 = RMB 7.147