During the week ending April 21, average Chinese steel pipe export offer prices have moved sideways. At present, export offers for welded pipe given by Chinese suppliers are in the range of $760-790/mt FOB, remaining stable week on week, while export offers for API 5L seamless pipe given by Chinese suppliers are at $840-930/mt FOB, June shipment, moving sideways compared to that recorded on April 14.
Product name |
Quality |
Spec. |
Price ($/mt) FOB |
Weekly change ($/mt) |
API 5L seamless pipe |
Gr.B |
2’’-6’’ Std |
885 |
- |
Seamless pipe, casing (hot rolled forming) |
J55 |
3’’-8’’ Std |
945 |
- |
Seamless pipe, tubing (cold drawn forming) |
ST37 |
< 3’’ Std |
1,220 |
- |
Welded pipes |
Gr.B |
2’’-6’’ Std |
775 |
- |
During the given week, demand for steel pipe has been slack as downstream users have been cautious at the current high levels of prices. Rebar futures prices in China have edged up following previous downward corrections, which has bolstered steel pipe prices. Meanwhile, the approaching Labor Day holiday (May 1-5) may also exert a negative impact on demand for steel pipes and weaken prices.
Rebar futures prices at Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE) stand at RMB 5,188/mt ($798/mt) on April 21, up RMB 72/mt ($11.1/mt) or 1.41 percent from April 14.
$1 = RMB 6.5046