Chinese domestic steel section prices have continued to move down by small margins during the past seven days.
As for billet, prices of the semi-finished steel product in the Chinese domestic market are unchanged week on week. In Tangshan, the current price of Q235 150 mm x 150 mm square billet is at RMB 2,920/mt ($408/mt), the price of 165 mm x 225 mm rectangular billet stands at RMB 2,940/mt ($411/mt), while the price of 20MnSi billet is at around RMB 3,020/mt ($422/mt). The prices are all ex-mill, including 13 percent VAT.
Overall trading activity in the domestic steel section market has continued to remain weak, with many traders reducing their prices slightly in order to close more deals, though the stability of billet prices has been providing some support. As for the week ahead, it is believed that steel section prices may again indicate minor downticks.
| Product name | Specification | City | Price (RMB/mt) | Weekly change (RMB/mt) | Price ($/mt) | Weekly change ($/mt) |
| Angle (Q235) | 50 mm x 50 mm x 5 mm | Shanghai | 3,330 | 0 | 465 | 1 |
| Beijing | 3,100 | -20 | 433 | -2 | ||
| Tangshan | 3,190 | -20 | 446 | -2 | ||
| Tianjin | 3,000 | 0 | 419 | 1 | ||
| Guangzhou | 3,330 | -20 | 465 | -2 | ||
| Average price | 3,190 | -12 | 446 | -1 | ||
| Channel (Q235) | 160 mm x 65 mm x 8.5 mm | Shanghai | 3,480 | -20 | 486 | -2 |
| Beijing | 3,070 | -20 | 429 | -2 | ||
| Tangshan | 3,170 | -10 | 443 | -1 | ||
| Tianjin | 2,980 | 0 | 416 | 1 | ||
| Guangzhou | 3,320 | -20 | 464 | -2 | ||
| Average price | 3,204 | -14 | 448 | -1 | ||
| I-beam (Q235) | 250 mm x 118 mm x 10 mm | Shanghai | 3,370 | 0 | 471 | 1 |
| Beijing | 3,180 | -20 | 444 | -2 | ||
| Tangshan | 3,300 | -10 | 461 | -1 | ||
| Tianjin | 3,070 | 0 | 429 | 1 | ||
| Guangzhou | 3,510 | -20 | 490 | -2 | ||
| Average price | 3,286 | -10 | 459 | -1 |
The prices are all ex-mill, including 13 percent VAT.
$1 = RMB 7.159