teel Mill Maintenance Cutbacks Increase, Building Materials Large Sample Social Inventory Buildup Slows

Published: Jul 9, 2026 11:24

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According to an SMM survey, the total building materials social inventory buildup slowed slightly this period. As of July 9, 2026, SMM building materials social inventory stood at 5.5594 million mt, up 74,200 mt WoW, an increase of 1.35%.

[SMM Large Sample Social Inventory of Building Materials] Steel Mill Maintenance Cutbacks Increase, Building Materials Large Sample Social Inventory Buildup Slows

Building Materials Social Inventory: According to an SMM survey, the total building materials social inventory buildup slowed slightly this period. As of July 9, 2026, SMM building materials social inventory stood at 5.5594 million mt, up 74,200 mt WoW, an increase of 1.35%. Mainly impacted by dual pressures on profitability and inventory, steel mills increased maintenance cutbacks in July, leading to a marked decline in building materials supply and causing the inventory buildup pace to slow slightly.

Regional Social Inventory: Inventory performance currently shows divergence across regions. East China saw a slight destocking, primarily as most resources in Hangzhou and Shanghai are still in transit and have not yet been received into inventory. South China was affected by rainy weather, resulting in poor shipments and accelerated inventory accumulation. In central China and south-west China, some steel mills opted to cut production due to sustained margin compression and significant inventory pressure, leading to a decline in building materials supply and a slight slowdown in the inventory buildup pace. Other regions experienced largely normal inventory accumulation.

Data Source Statement: Except for publicly available information, all other data are processed by SMM based on publicly available information, market communication, and relying on SMM's internal database model. They are for reference only and do not constitute decision-making recommendations.

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