The Chinese domestic steel section market has indicated a slight downward trend in the past week.
In the Shanghai market, the price of 50 mm x 50 mm x 5 m steel angles is now at $364/mt. The same product is sold at $316/mt in the Tangshan market and at $392/mt in the Guangzhou market. Meanwhile, prices of 160 mm x 65 mm x 8.5 mm steel channels stand at $354/mt in the Shanghai market, at $315/mt in Tangshan and at $391/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 $354/mt, $318/mt and $405/mt. The prices are all ex-mill, including 17 percent VAT. Steel section prices in the Chinese domestic market can be viewed in the SteelOrbis price reports section.
As for billet, prices in the Chinese domestic market have declined slightly during the past week. In Tangshan, the current price of Q235 150 x 150 mm square billet is at RMB 1,730/mt ($272/mt), the price of 165 x 225 mm rectangular billet stands at RMB 1,760/mt ($276/mt), while the price of 20MnSi billet is at around RMB 1,850/mt ($290/mt). The prices are all ex-mill, including 17 percent VAT.
Prices in the local Chinese section market have indicated slight fluctuations with decreases in the past week. Meanwhile transaction activity in the overall market has been slightly better than in the previous week, though remaining slack. Traders are currently focusing on sales, but due to slack demand, sales volume in the local Chinese section market is unlikely to improve, forcing traders to reduce their price. As for the coming week, it is believed that the section market price will mostly hold a stable trend.
| Product name | Spec. | Category | City | Steel plant/origin | Price (RMB/mt) | Price ($/mt) | Weekly change (RMB/mt) |
| Angle | 1 mm x 1 mm x 5 mm | Q235 | Shanghai | Masteel | 2,300 | 361 | ↓10 |
| Beijing | Tangshan | 2,150 | 338 | 0 | |||
| Tangshan | Tangshan | 2,000 | 314 | ↓40 | |||
| Tianjin | Zhaobo | 2,300 | 361 | 0 | |||
| Guangzhou | Tongsteel | 2,480 | 389 | ↓20 | |||
| Average | - | 2,246 | 353 | ↓14 | |||
| Channel | 160 mm x 65 mm x 8.5 mm | Q235 | Shanghai | Masteel | 2,240 | 352 | ↓10 |
| Beijing | Xuangang | 2,180 | 342 | 0 | |||
| Tangshan | Tangshan | 1,990 | 312 | ↓40 | |||
| Tianjin | Jiangtian | 2,050 | 322 | ↓40 | |||
| Guangzhou | Liusteel | 2,470 | 388 | ↓20 | |||
| Average | - | 2,186 | 343 | ↓22 | |||
| I Beam | 21 mm x 118 mm x 10 mm | Q235 | Shanghai | Laiwu | 2,240 | 352 | 0 |
| Beijing | Laiwu | 2,220 | 349 | 0 | |||
| Tangshan | Tangshan | 2,010 | 316 | ↓20 | |||
| Tianjin | Haicheng | 2,120 | 333 | ↓30 | |||
| Guangzhou | Haicheng | 2,560 | 402 | ↓20 | |||
| Average | - | 2,230 | 350 | ↓14 |
The prices are on theoretical weight basis, all prices include 17 percent VAT and all prices are ex-warehouse.
$1 = RMB 6.37