5.20 SMM Global Steel Daily Report

Published: May 20, 2026 18:21

Save

China Steel billet export prices continued to decline today, falling by about 3-4 USD/tonne, with 3SP 150*150mm FOB quotes at 472-475 USD/tonne. It was learned that as export billet prices continued to fall, wait-and-see sentiment was strong in the market. Meanwhile, some steel billet export mills had maintenance plans and were cautious in taking orders to ensure supply for the Chinese market.

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.

For any inquiries or to learn more information, please contact: lemonzhao@smm.cn

For more information on how to access our research reports, please contact:service.en@smm.cn

Related News

1 hour ago

Total Construction Steel Social Inventory Continued Destocking, with Slight Divergence across Regions

Construction steel social inventory: According to SMM survey, the destocking pace of total construction steel social inventory slightly accelerated this period.

1 hour ago

Common.Time.hoursAgo

[SMM Analysis] Futures and Spot Prices Weakened, Construction Steel Demand Shifted from Growth to Decline

According to SMM statistics, total construction steel inventory stood at 7.9854 million mt, down 154,200 mt WoW, or -1.9% WoW, with the destocking pace slowing down.

Common.Time.hoursAgo

[SMM Sheets & Plates Daily Review] Futures First Declined Then Rebounded, Short-term Trend Unchanged

Today, the most-traded hot-rolled coil (HRC) contract first declined then rebounded, closing at 3,428 at the end of the session, down 0.03% intraday. HRC spot prices mostly fell 10-20 yuan/mt today, with some markets remaining stable. In terms of supply, the impact from maintenance on hot-rolled production this week was 137,500 mt, down 98,500 mt WoW. Next week, the impact from maintenance on hot-rolled production will be 185,500 mt, up 48,000 mt WoW, with overall pressure being neutral. Demand side, end-users still mainly purchased at low prices, and futures-spot arbitrage continued to ship at low prices. Cost side, after macro front disturbances diminished, short-term cost support weakened somewhat. Looking ahead, the supply-demand imbalance in HRC fundamentals showed some diverg

Common.Time.hoursAgo