Chinese domestic steel section prices have moved up slightly during the past week.
As for billet, prices of the semi-finished steel product in the Chinese domestic market have showed a fluctuation with slightly reduce trend during past week. In Tangshan, the current price of Q235 150 mm x 150 mm square billet is at RMB 3,070/mt ($430/mt), the price of 165 mm x 225 mm rectangular billet stands at RMB 3,090/mt ($433/mt), while the price of 20MnSi billet is at around RMB 3,170/mt ($444/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 or Tianjin stand at $499-544/mt FOB as of today, Monday, August 18, unchanged compared to Aug 11.
Overall trading activity in the Chinese steel section market has been sluggish during the past seven days, while prices have risen by small margins despite downticks seen in billet prices. As for the week ahead, it is believed that steel section prices may just indicate slight fluctuations.
| Product name | Specification | City | Price (RMB/mt) | Weekly change (RMB/mt) | Price ($/mt) | Weekly change ($/mt) |
| Angle (Q235) | 50 mm x 50 mm x 5 mm | Shanghai | 3,500 | 10 | 491 | 2 |
| Beijing | 3,320 | 20 | 466 | 3 | ||
| Tangshan | 3,430 | 20 | 481 | 3 | ||
| Tianjin | 3,150 | 0 | 442 | 1 | ||
| Guangzhou | 3,620 | 50 | 508 | 8 | ||
| Average price | 3,404 | 20 | 477 | 3 | ||
| Channel (Q235) | 160 mm x 65 mm x 8.5 mm | Shanghai | 3,640 | -20 | 510 | -2 |
| Beijing | 3,290 | 20 | 461 | 3 | ||
| Tangshan | 3,360 | -20 | 471 | -2 | ||
| Tianjin | 3,150 | 0 | 442 | 1 | ||
| Guangzhou | 3,520 | 20 | 494 | 3 | ||
| Average price | 3,392 | 0 | 476 | 1 | ||
| I-beam (Q235) | 250 mm x 118 mm x 10 mm | Shanghai | 3,560 | 10 | 499 | 2 |
| Beijing | 3,400 | 30 | 477 | 5 | ||
| Tangshan | 3,530 | 20 | 495 | 3 | ||
| Tianjin | 3,230 | 0 | 453 | 1 | ||
| Guangzhou | 3,650 | 40 | 512 | 6 | ||
| Average price | 3,474 | 20 | 487 | 3 |
The prices are all ex-mill, including 13 percent VAT.
| Product Name | Category | Specification | Port | FOB Price(USD) | Rise & Fall (USD) |
| H beam | Q235B | 200*200*8*12 | Tianjin | 499 | 0 |
| Q235B | 600*200*11*17 | Tianjin | 524 | 0 | |
| SS400 | 200*200*8*12 | Tianjin | 504 | 0 | |
| SS400 | 600*200*11*17 | Tianjin | 529 | 0 | |
| S275JR | HEA200 | Tianjin | 514 | 0 | |
| A36 | W8*31 | Tianjin | 514 | 0 | |
| A36 | W12*65 | Tianjin | 529 | 0 | |
| A36 | W12*65 | Shanghai | 539 | 0 | |
| Q355B | 200*200*8*12 | Tianjin | 534 | 0 | |
| Q355B | 200*200*8*12 | Shanghai | 544 | 0 |
$1 = RMB 7.132