In the Shanghai market, the price of 50 mm x 50 mm x 5 m steel angles is now at $568/mt. The same product is sold at $520/mt in the Tangshan market and at $571/mt in the Guangzhou market. Meanwhile, prices of 160 mm x 65 mm x 8.5 mm steel channels stand at $551/mt in the Shanghai market, at $529/mt in Tangshan and at $592/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 $561/mt, $548/mt and $604/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 decreased slightly during the past week. In Tangshan, the current price of Q235 150 x 150 mm square billet is at RMB 2,960/mt ($475/mt), the price of 165 x 225 mm rectangular billet stands at RMB 2,990/mt ($480/mt), while the price of 20MnSi billet is around RMB 3,080/mt ($494/mt). The prices are all ex-mill, including 17 percent VAT.
The Chinese domestic steel section market has witnessed various trends in prices during the past seven days, Steel section prices have risen slightly in some local markets, seen minor decreases in other local markets while prices in some markets in the country have moved sideways. The overall trading volume for steel sections in China is not so good. It is thought that steel mills may slightly reduce their quoted prices due to the low trading volume and the weakness of billet prices and that this may spark some improvement in trading activity. For the coming week, steel section prices in the Chinese market may indicate some slight decreases.