Chinese domestic steel section prices have indicated 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 followed a slight uptrend during the past week. In Tangshan, the current price of Q235 150 mm x 150 mm square billet is at RMB 2,990/mt ($433/mt), the price of 165 mm x 225 mm rectangular billet stands at RMB 3,010/mt ($435/mt), while the price of 20MnSi billet is at around RMB 3,090/mt ($447/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 $509-544/mt FOB as of today, Monday, April 20, up slightly compared to April 13.
Overall trading activity in the domestic steel section market has been at normal levels in the past week, while most traders have chosen to reduce their prices by small margins in order to close more deals, despite the upticks seen in billet prices. As for the week ahead, since the support from the cost side is still strong, it is believed that steel section prices may indicate a slight rebound.
| Product name | Specification | City | Price (RMB/mt) | Weekly change (RMB/mt) | Price ($/mt) | Weekly change ($/mt) |
| Angle (Q235) | 50 mm x 50 mm x 5 mm | Shanghai | 3,430 | -20 | 500 | -3 |
| Beijing | 3,240 | -20 | 472 | -3 | ||
| Tangshan | 3,310 | -30 | 482 | -4 | ||
| Tianjin | 3,110 | -30 | 453 | -4 | ||
| Guangzhou | 3,490 | 0 | 508 | 0 | ||
| Average price | 3,316 | -20 | 483 | -3 | ||
| Channel (Q235) | 160 mm x 65 mm x 8.5 mm | Shanghai | 3,470 | -20 | 505 | -3 |
| Beijing | 3,230 | -20 | 471 | -3 | ||
| Tangshan | 3,290 | -10 | 479 | -1 | ||
| Tianjin | 3,100 | -10 | 452 | -1 | ||
| Guangzhou | 3,520 | 0 | 513 | 0 | ||
| Average price | 3,322 | -12 | 484 | -2 | ||
| I-beam (Q235) | 250 mm x 118 mm x 10 mm | Shanghai | 3,470 | -20 | 505 | -3 |
| Beijing | 3,300 | -10 | 481 | -1 | ||
| Tangshan | 3,410 | 10 | 497 | 2 | ||
| Tianjin | 3,180 | -10 | 463 | -1 | ||
| Guangzhou | 3,530 | 0 | 514 | 0 | ||
| Average price | 3,378 | -6 | 492 | -1 |
The prices are all ex-mill, including 13 percent VAT.
$1 = RMB 6.865
| Product Name | Category | Specification | Port | FOB Price(USD) | Rise & Fall (USD) |
| H beam | Q235B | 200*200*8*12 | Tianjin | 509 | 1 |
| Q235B | 600*200*11*17 | Tianjin | 534 | 1 | |
| SS400 | 200*200*8*12 | Tianjin | 514 | 1 | |
| SS400 | 600*200*11*17 | Tianjin | 539 | 1 | |
| S275JR | HEA200 | Tianjin | 524 | 1 | |
| A36 | W8*31 | Tianjin | 524 | 1 | |
| A36 | W12*65 | Tianjin | 539 | 1 | |
| A36 | W12*65 | Shanghai | 549 | 1 | |
| Q355B | 200*200*8*12 | Tianjin | 544 | 1 | |
| Q355B | 200*200*8*12 | Shanghai | 554 | 1 |
