Chinese domestic steel section prices have followed a slight uptrend during the past seven days.
As for billet, prices of the semi-finished steel product in the Chinese domestic market have showed a slightly upward trend during the past week. In Tangshan, the current price of Q235 150 mm x 150 mm square billet is at RMB 2,970/mt ($424/mt), the price of 165 mm x 225 mm rectangular billet stands at RMB 2,990/mt ($426/mt), while the price of 20MnSi billet is at around RMB 3,070/mt ($438/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 and Tianjin stand at $486-521/mt FOB as of today, Monday, January 12, showing a slight increase compared to January 5.
Overall trading activity in the local Chinese steel section market has improved a little after the holiday period but is still weak due to the off-season, while prices have increased slightly following the upticks seen in billet prices. As for the week ahead, amid the support from the cost side and the weakness of the demand side, it is believed that steel section prices may just indicate small fluctuations.
| Product name | Specification | City | Price (RMB/mt) | Weekly change (RMB/mt) | Price ($/mt) | Weekly change ($/mt) |
| Angle (Q235) | 50 mm x 50 mm x 5 mm | Shanghai | 3,350 | 20 | 478 | 4 |
| Beijing | 3,180 | 20 | 454 | 4 | ||
| Tangshan | 3,270 | 20 | 466 | 4 | ||
| Tianjin | 3,050 | 30 | 435 | 5 | ||
| Guangzhou | 3,530 | 20 | 503 | 4 | ||
| Average price | 3,276 | 22 | 467 | 4 | ||
| Channel (Q235) | 160 mm x 65 mm x 8.5 mm | Shanghai | 3,470 | 20 | 495 | 4 |
| Beijing | 3,150 | 20 | 449 | 4 | ||
| Tangshan | 3,250 | 20 | 464 | 4 | ||
| Tianjin | 3,040 | 30 | 434 | 5 | ||
| Guangzhou | 3,480 | 80 | 496 | 12 | ||
| Average price | 3,278 | 34 | 468 | 6 | ||
| I-beam (Q235) | 250 mm x 118 mm x 10 mm | Shanghai | 3,390 | 20 | 484 | 4 |
| Beijing | 3,230 | 20 | 461 | 4 | ||
| Tangshan | 3,350 | 20 | 478 | 4 | ||
| Tianjin | 3,140 | 30 | 448 | 5 | ||
| Guangzhou | 3,590 | 30 | 512 | 5 | ||
| Average price | 3,340 | 24 | 476 | 4 |
The prices are all ex-mill, including 13 percent VAT.
$1 = RMB 7.011
| Product Name | Category | Specification | Port | FOB Price(USD) | Rise & Fall (USD) |
| H beam | Q235B | 200*200*8*12 | Tianjin | 486 | 4 |
| Q235B | 600*200*11*17 | Tianjin | 511 | 4 | |
| SS400 | 200*200*8*12 | Tianjin | 491 | 4 | |
| SS400 | 600*200*11*17 | Tianjin | 516 | 4 | |
| S275JR | HEA200 | Tianjin | 501 | 4 | |
| A36 | W8*31 | Tianjin | 501 | 4 | |
| A36 | W12*65 | Tianjin | 516 | 4 | |
| A36 | W12*65 | Shanghai | 526 | 4 | |
| Q355B | 200*200*8*12 | Tianjin | 521 | 4 | |
| Q355B | 200*200*8*12 | Shanghai | 531 | 4 |