China Domestic Carbon Steel Price index 2026-09-01
China Domestic Carbon Steel PriceMarket Analysis
1 September 2026 | FX applied: 1 USD = 6.66 CNY | SHH STEEL / steelspecs.com
1. Executive Summary
China’s domestic steel market was mixed and quieter. Tangshan Qian’an plain-carbon billet fell RMB 10/t to RMB 3,040/t (USD 456.46/t). Rebar, hot-rolled coil and cold-rolled coil eased. 20 mm carbon plate edged higher on shipyard restocking. Futures pulled back, cash liquidity thinned, and some deals cleared below the posted list.
Converted at 6.66, mainstream construction and flat products sit in a tight USD 502–576/t band. Rising coking coal and the third coke hike are lifting mill costs and capping the downside. HRC stocks are building; plate social stocks are edging down. For export desks quoting ASTM A36 steel plate and A572 Gr.50 structure steel plates, list prices can stay firm.
2. Dual-Currency Price Table
| Product / Spec | CNY/t | USD/t | Chg CNY | Chg USD | Tone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billet, Tangshan Qian’an | 3,040 | 456.46 | −10 | −1.50 | Soft |
| Rebar 20 mm HRB400E, 31 cities | 3,346 | 502.40 | −4 | −0.60 | Soft |
| HRC 4.75 mm, 24 cities | 3,379 | 507.36 | −8 | −1.20 | Soft |
| CRC 1.0 mm, 24 cities | 3,833 | 575.53 | −1 | −0.15 | Flat |
| Plate 20 mm Q235, 24 cities | 3,585 | 538.29 | +3 | +0.45 | Firm |
USD/t = CNY/t ÷ 6.66. These are domestic city averages, not executable FOB Shanghai offers.
3. Market Tone
Ferrous futures sold off. Morning lists in most cities held yesterday’s close; a few cities eased. End-users had already covered, so fresh demand was thin. Hidden discounts appeared on actual deals.
This matches the swing-product view in Company Views on the 2025 Global Steel Price Trends: HRC is the weak link, plate used in energy and shipbuilding holds a firmer bid. Grade mapping across systems is in Comparison of Steel Standards ASTM vs EN vs JIS vs GB.
4. Product Notes
Rebar — USD 502.40/t
31-city average RMB 3,346/t, down RMB 4. Construction is still “cover yesterday, wait today.” Mills are shipping old contracts. For structural packages sold next to rebar, quote ASTM A36 steel plate, EN 10025-2 S355JR steel plate and EN 10025-2 S355J2 steel plate. Bias: weak-stable.
HRC — USD 507.36/t
24-city 4.75 mm average RMB 3,379/t, down RMB 8 — the largest finished-steel drop. Inventory is the bearish fact; dual-coke inflation is the floor. HRC–rebar spread is only USD 4.96/t. Keep A572 Gr.55 structure steel plates and A572 Gr.60 structure steel plates on the sheet; HSLA plate is less inventory-sensitive than commodity coil.
CRC — USD 575.53/t
24-city 1.0 mm average RMB 3,833/t, down RMB 1. CRC–HRC gap is USD 68.17/t, a normal processing spread. Mills are holding lists. If the buyer’s real constraint is corrosion or hygiene, move the file to ASTM A240 Type 304 stainless steel sheet plate or ASTM A240 Type 316L stainless steel sheet plate.
Plate — USD 538.29/t
24-city 20 mm Q235 average RMB 3,585/t, up RMB 3. Only major finished product that rose. Social stocks are not heavy; some gauges are tight. Shipbuilding is the firm bid; machinery and steel structures remain need-based. Plate–HRC premium is USD 30.93/t.
Export mapping:
- vessels: ASTM A516 Grade 70 and ASME SA516 Grade 70 carbon steel plates
- structures: ASTM A572 Grade 42 structural steel plate, A572 Gr.50, ASTM A572 Grade 65 structural steel plates
- US vs EU vessel plate: A516 Gr.70 vs P355GH
Plate is the best of the four finished products on 1 September.
Billet — USD 456.46/t
Tangshan Qian’an RMB 3,040/t, down RMB 10. Rebar–billet gap is USD 45.94/t, inside a normal rolling-margin band. Billet is the North China long-product cost anchor, not a core export SKU.
5. Three-Lens Framework
- Cost: coal up, third coke hike landed, mill lists stiff, floor under finished steel.
- Inventory: HRC rising; plate social stocks down and some sizes tight; traders light.
- Demand: need-based. Construction waits. Shipyards support plate.
- Sentiment: futures down, cash quieter, hidden discounts. Expectation without orders.
6. What This Means for Export Quotes
Lead from the steelspecs.com products book.
- Domestic anchors: longs/HRC USD 502–507/t, 20 mm plate USD 538/t, 1.0 mm CRC USD 576/t. Not FOB.
- Keep offers firm. Dual-coke inflation is the answer when a buyer asks for a cut.
- Lead with plate: ASME SA516 Grade 70 carbon steel plates for vessels, A572 Gr.50 structure steel plates for structures.
- Chloride or high-temperature service: do not force carbon coil. Switch to ASTM A240 Type 316 stainless steel sheet plate or ASTM A240 Type 2205 stainless steel sheet plate.
- This brief uses 6.66 by instruction. Lock invoice FX or write an adjustment clause.
7. 5–10 Session Outlook
Base case: tight range. Dual-coke holds the floor; missing volume caps the ceiling. Rebar and HRC soft-stable. CRC holds the high range. Plate stays the most resilient.
Three checks: a fourth coke hike; HRC inventory stopping in early September; futures stopping the decline. Two of three improving, city averages can turn up. HRC stocks and futures both weakening, USD 507/t HRC can be tested lower.
Source prints: billet 3,040 (−10); rebar 3,346 (−4); HRC 3,379 (−8); CRC 3,833 (−1); plate 3,585 (+3). Conversion: USD/t = CNY/t ÷ 6.66. Full specifications: www.steelspecs.com.
