Steel Products Prices North America

China Steel Exports Fall in December
Written by Sandy Williams
January 15, 2017
Chinese finished steel exports are beginning to drop month over month. In December, finished steel exports were down about 4 percent from November to 7.8 million tonnes. In comparison to a year ago, December exports had fallen approximately 27 percent from a record 112.4 million tonnes.
Looking at the data by quarter finished steel exports fell 16 percent from third quarter and 23 percent from the previous year’s quarter.
For 2016, Chinese steel exports totaled 109 million tonnes, down 3 percent from the 2015 total of 112.4 million tonnes. About a third of China’s steel exports are directed to Southeast Asian nations (ASEAN).
Roberto Cola, vice president of the ASEAN Iron and Steel Council said the reduction was a relief for all steel producers but especially those in ASEAN.
Key Banc analyst Phil Gibbs said in a note to clients, “We view the moderation in Chinese steel exports as encouraging to the supply-side picture, a likely contributing factor in 2H16 in global steel prices. This will remain a critical watch point in the coming months and years as China continues restructuring its steel and coal industries.”
The slip in exports in 2016 is likely due to improved domestic demand and efforts by China to rein in steel overcapacity. This past week, China’s National Development and Reform Commission announced it will eliminate production of all low-quality steel made from scrap, produced mostly by small mills, by the end of June. The targeted steel mills have inefficient steel mills that contribute greatly to the nation’s air pollution problem as well as producing sub-par steel. China hopes to reduce capacity and consolidate production to produce higher quality steels in the coming years.
Trade cases also played a major part with 15 countries launching 41 investigations against Chinese steel exports in 2016.
China’s crude steel production in 2017 is expected to increase by 0.5 percent to 825 million tonnes but 87 percent of it will be utilized within China, according a report by BMI Research. BMI expects China’s public infrastructure construction to be strong throughout 2017.
A new report by the Australian government says the increased domestic demand for steel in China will boost prices for iron ore for 2017 for the short term but will likely fall to $46.7 per tonne in 2018 as construction slows. Iron ore prices, currently hovering around $80 per tonne, are expected to average $51.50 per tonne in 2017 before the 2018 decline according to Australia’s Resource and Energy Quarterly – December 2016.

Sandy Williams
Read more from Sandy WilliamsLatest in Steel Products Prices North America

CRU: Q3 will be the lowest point in current sheet price cycle
CRU Principal Analyst Shankhadeep Mukherjee expects a restocking cycle for steel sheet products in most parts of the world due to either low inventories or seasonally stronger demand.

CRU: US rebar and wire rod prices rise alongside S232 increase
CRU Senior Steel Analyst Alexandra Anderson discusses current market and pricing dynamics for long steel products in the US.

SMU Price Ranges: Sheet and plate steady ahead of Independence Day
Sheet and plate prices were little changed in the shortened week ahead of Independence Day, according to SMU’s latest check of the market.

Nucor maintains plate prices, opens August order book
Nucor aims to keep plate prices flat again with the opening of its August order book.

Nucor CSP remains level at $900/ton
Nucor maintained its weekly list price for hot-rolled (HR) coil this week, following two consecutive increases.