Chinese domestic steel section prices have continued to indicate a slightly soft trend during the past seven days.
As for billet, prices of the semi-finished steel product in the Chinese domestic market have showed a slightly rebounding trend during the past week. In Tangshan, the current price of Q235 150 mm x 150 mm square billet is at RMB 3,040/mt ($446/mt), the price of 165 mm x 225 mm rectangular billet stands at RMB 3,060/mt ($449/mt), while the price of 20MnSi billet is at around RMB 3,140/mt ($461/mt). The prices are all ex-mill, including 13 percent VAT.
Mainstream ex-China H-beam section offer prices from the ports of Shanghai or Tianjin stand at $504-539/mt FOB as of today, Monday, June 15, declining compared to June 8.
Overall trading activity in the Chinese steel section market has been sluggish in the past week due to the current off-season for business, while prices have only declined slightly with upticks in billet prices providing support, and as most traders cut their prices by small margins in order to close more deals. As for the week ahead, it is believed that steel section prices may again soften slightly considering the weakness of the demand side.
| Product name | Specification | City | Price (RMB/mt) | Weekly change (RMB/mt) | Price ($/mt) | Weekly change ($/mt) |
| Angle (Q235) | 50 mm x 50 mm x 5 mm | Shanghai | 3,480 | -20 | 511 | -2 |
| Beijing | 3,270 | -20 | 480 | -2 | ||
| Tangshan | 3,350 | -20 | 492 | -2 | ||
| Tianjin | 3,090 | -20 | 454 | -2 | ||
| Guangzhou | 3,460 | -20 | 508 | -2 | ||
| Average price | 3,330 | -20 | 489 | -2 | ||
| Channel (Q235) | 160 mm x 65 mm x 8.5 mm | Shanghai | 3,470 | -20 | 510 | -2 |
| Beijing | 3,260 | -20 | 479 | -2 | ||
| Tangshan | 3,320 | -10 | 488 | -1 | ||
| Tianjin | 3,080 | -20 | 452 | -2 | ||
| Guangzhou | 3,510 | -40 | 515 | -5 | ||
| Average price | 3,328 | -22 | 489 | -2 | ||
| I-beam (Q235) | 250 mm x 118 mm x 10 mm | Shanghai | 3,520 | -20 | 517 | -2 |
| Beijing | 3,330 | -20 | 489 | -2 | ||
| Tangshan | 3,400 | -30 | 499 | -4 | ||
| Tianjin | 3,160 | -20 | 464 | -2 | ||
| Guangzhou | 3,550 | -40 | 521 | -5 | ||
| Average price | 3,392 | -26 | 498 | -3 |
The prices are all ex-mill, including 13 percent VAT.
$1 = RMB 6.809
| Product Name | Category | Specification | Port | FOB Price(USD) | Rise & Fall (USD) |
| H beam | Q235B | 200*200*8*12 | Tianjin | 504 | -6 |
| Q235B | 600*200*11*17 | Tianjin | 529 | -6 | |
| SS400 | 200*200*8*12 | Tianjin | 509 | -6 | |
| SS400 | 600*200*11*17 | Tianjin | 534 | -6 | |
| S275JR | HEA200 | Tianjin | 519 | -6 | |
| A36 | W8*31 | Tianjin | 519 | -6 | |
| A36 | W12*65 | Tianjin | 534 | -6 | |
| A36 | W12*65 | Shanghai | 544 | -6 | |
| Q355B | 200*200*8*12 | Tianjin | 539 | -6 | |
| Q355B | 200*200*8*12 | Shanghai | 549 | -6 |
