During the week ending June 18, average Chinese steel pipe export offer prices have remained stable. At present, export offers for welded pipe given by Chinese suppliers are in the range of $440-450/mt FOB, moving sideways on average compared to June 11, while export offers for API 5L seamless pipe given by Chinese suppliers are at $480-490/mt FOB, September shipment, remaining unchanged on average compared to June 1.
| Product name | Quality | Spec. | Price ($/mt) FOB | Weekly change ($/mt) |
| API 5L seamless pipe | Gr.B | 2’’-6’’ Std | 485 | - |
| Seamless pipe, casing (hot rolled forming) | J55 | 3’’-8’’ Std | 485 | - |
| Seamless pipe, tubing (cold drawn forming) | ST37 | < 3’’ Std | 655 | - |
| Welded pipes | Gr.B | 2’’-6’’ Std | 445 | - |
During the given week, steel pipe prices in the Chinese domestic market have remained stable amid slight changes in ferrous metal futures prices. Demand from downstream users remained slack, resulting in slight increases in inventory levels. Market players had little confidence regarding the future prospects for the steel pipe market, resulting in transaction activities being dealt at low-end prices. The plum rainy season in the lower and middle reaches of the Yangtze River and high temperatures negatively affect construction activities, weakening the demand for steel pipe. It is thought that steel pipe prices in the Chinese domestic market will edge down in the coming week.
As of June 18, HRC futures at the Shanghai Futures Exchange are standing at RMB 3,102/mt ($432/mt), decreasing by RMB 6/mt ($0.8/mt) or 0.2 percent since June 11, while up by 0.32 percent compared to the previous trading day, June 17.
$1 = RMB 7.1761