Cost Advantages Fail to Offset Weak Sentiment, Stainless Steel Scrap Prices Remain Under Pressure and Pull Back [SMM Stainless Steel Scrap Market Weekly Review]
[SMM Stainless Steel Scrap Weekly Review] Cost Advantages Fail to Offset Bearish Sentiment, Stainless Steel Scrap Prices Remain Under Pressure and Pull Back
This week, 304 stainless steel scrap off-cuts prices in east China pulled back, with a quotation range of 9,900-10,000 yuan/mt; 304 stainless steel scrap off-cuts prices in the Foshan area fell in tandem, with a price range of 9,900-10,200 yuan/mt. From the perspective of raw material production costs, the current cost of producing stainless steel entirely from stainless steel scrap is approximately 14,004.41 yuan/mt, while the production cost using only high-grade NPI reaches 14,493.57 yuan/mt. The price spread between the two remains stable, and stainless steel scrap continues to hold a clear economic substitution advantage over high-grade NPI.
This week, stainless steel scrap prices trended lower overall. During the week, SS futures continued to slide and hit bottom, with bearish sentiment spreading in the market and transmitting to the spot end, dragging spot prices of stainless steel products down in tandem; substitute raw material high-grade NPI prices also remained in the doldrums, forming a linked downward pattern across futures and raw materials, with overall market trading sentiment leaning bearish. Although stainless steel scrap maintained favorable substitution economics supported by the cost spread, industry fundamentals continued to weaken, making it difficult to support firm price performance. The expected recovery of the "September peak season" for stainless steel products failed to materialize, end-user rigid demand remained sluggish, and steel mills remained in a state of losses over the long term, with prominent production profit pressure. In September, steel mill production schedules are expected to pull back somewhat, and raw material purchase willingness continued to cool.
Overall, the inherent cost substitution advantage of stainless steel scrap is difficult to offset the current multiple bearish pressures. Peak season demand fell short of expectations, leading to weak destocking of finished products...