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Prices rose significantly amid raw material cost surges
Mills hiked offers but traders resisted full price pass-through
Seasonal demand remains subdued despite improved sentiment
Production dipped due to maintenance schedules
Outlook: Prices expected to stabilize despite cost pressures
Price Movements
National average: 4,331 RMB/ton (as of July 25)
+64 RMB/t WoW—largest weekly gain in months
Raw materials surged: Shandong billets +120 RMB/t WoW
34 sampled mills raised prices 50-100 RMB/
Profit Recovery
Shandong billet-rolling mills: 90 RMB/t profit
+50 RMB/t WoW - second consecutive week of improvement
East China Spotlight
Regional prices rose 40-60 RMB/t following mill hikes
Mill production declined while costs increased
Improved trader sentiment observed
Inventory Status
Social inventories: 685.4k tons (+2.9k tons WoW)
Mill inventories: 682.4k tons (-17.7k tons WoW)
Raw material stocks at mills: 286k tons (+5.8k tons WoW)
Supply Constraints
Weekly output: 331.4k tons (-13.4k tons WoW)
Capacity utilization: 72.01% (down 2.91% WoW)
Seasonal maintenance reduced production
Market Forecast
Downstream resistance persists despite cost increases
Traders' low-cost inventories nearly depleted
Actual demand improvement remains limited
Price trajectory: Largely stable nationwide
