In the Shanghai market, the price of 50 mm x 50 mm x 5 m steel angles is now at $670/mt. The same product is sold at $638/mt in the Tangshan market and at $698/mt in the Guangzhou market. Meanwhile, prices of 160 mm x 65 mm x 8.5 mm steel channels stand at $673/mt in the Shanghai market, at $651/mt in Tangshan and at $714/mt in the Guangzhou market. In the Shanghai, Tangshan and Guangzhou markets, 250 mm x 118 mm x 10 m I-beam prices stand respectively at $683/mt, $657/mt and $694/mt. The prices are all ex-mill, including 17 percent VAT. Average steel section prices in China can be viewed in the SteelOrbis price reports section.
As for billet, prices in the Chinese market have fallen slightly in the past week. In Tangshan, the current price of Q235 150 x 150 mm square billet is at RMB 3,650/mt ($579/mt), the price of 165 x 225 mm rectangular billet stands at RMB 3,680/mt ($584/mt), while the price of 20MnSi billet is around RMB 3,770/mt ($598/mt). The prices are all ex-mill, including 17 percent VAT.
Under the influence of weak demand, the overall steel section market in China has declined slightly in the past week. At present, availability of funds is still tight and this also exerts a negative impact on activity levels in the market. For the time being traders are just reducing prices by a small margin and are waiting for the market situation to improve. Although demand has indicated some improvement, it is still considered to be slack compared to the corresponding period in the last few years. Meanwhile, mills' quoted prices are mainly indicating a downward trend. In this context, it is believed that China's steel section market will continue to fluctuate on a downward trend for another while.