During the week ending September 18, average Chinese steel pipe export offer prices have edged up. At present, export offers for welded pipe given by Chinese suppliers are in the range of $470-490/mt FOB, moving up by $10/mt compared to September 11, while export offers for API 5L seamless pipe given by Chinese suppliers are at $480-500/mt FOB, November shipment, moving up by $5/mt compared to September 11.
Product name |
Quality |
Spec. |
Price ($/mt) FOB |
Weekly change ($/mt) |
API 5L seamless pipe |
Gr.B |
2’’-6’’ Std |
490 |
+5 |
Seamless pipe, casing (hot rolled forming) |
J55 |
3’’-8’’ Std |
490 |
+5 |
Seamless pipe, tubing (cold drawn forming) |
ST37 |
< 3’’ Std |
625 |
+10 |
Welded pipes |
Gr.B |
2’’-6’’ Std |
480 |
+10 |
During the given week, steel pipe prices in the Chinese domestic market have edged up amid the slight rises in HRC futures prices. Production of steel pipe has increased, while traders have been cautious about building up their stocks and have mostly been focused on consuming their current inventories. A wait-and-see stance has still prevailed among market players, though some believe that demand may improve ahead of the National Day holiday (October 1-7). It is expected that steel pipe prices in the Chinese domestic market may see further rises in the coming week.
As of September 18, HRC futures at the Shanghai Futures Exchange are standing at RMB 3,196/mt ($450/mt), increasing by RMB 8/mt ($1.1/mt) or 0.25 percent since September 11, while up 1.0 percent compared to the previous trading day, September 13.
$1 = RMB 7.087