[MIIT: 15th Five-Year Plan for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises to Be Released Soon]

In July, the production of medium-thickness plate mills, hot strip mills, and cold strip mills of key statistical enterprises all edged up YoY. Production of most major plates declined YoY, among which wind power steel plates and boiler and container plates saw larger declines, while shipbuilding plates saw a larger increase. Product prices, extra-thick plates and medium-thickness plates rose MoM, while prices of other products declined. From January to July, the cumulative production of medium-thickness plate mills and cold strip mills rose YoY, while that of hot strip mills declined YoY. Among major plates, the production of shipbuilding plates and container plates saw a larger increase, while that of boiler and container plates and steel plates for engineering machinery saw a larger decline.

As of August 25, the operating rate of 50 major construction-steel-focused EAF steel mills nationwide stood at 32.97%, up 0.76% week-on-week; capacity utilization rate was 32.97%, up 1.67% from the previous period; average daily construction steel output reached 73,400 tonnes, up 3,700 tonnes week-on-week.