Stainless steel prices have hit a new low in nearly five years, with weak transactions due to supply-demand imbalance remaining unchanged [SMM Stainless Steel Daily Review]
[SMM Stainless Steel Daily Review: Stainless Steel Prices Hit New 5-Year Low Amid Supply-Demand Imbalance, Sluggish Trading] SMM reported on June 19 that today, driven by the strength in SHFE nickel, the SS futures market rose in tandem, maintaining operations above 12,500 yuan/mt throughout the day. However, the spot market did not follow the futures market's strength, with spot prices remaining weak. Stainless steel demand continued to be sluggish, with traders generally reporting sluggish trading and difficulties in selling off their inventories. Within this week, social inventory of stainless steel further accumulated, once again surpassing the 1 million mt mark. Currently, stainless steel prices have fallen to a five-year low, but the mainstream market view does not favor a stop falling and rebound in the short term. Recently, prices of raw materials such as nickel and chromium have continued to decline, and with stainless steel inventory still at a high level, it is expected that prices will remain in the doldrums in the short term. In the futures market, the most-traded 2508 contract strengthened and rose. At 10:30 a.m., SS2508 was quoted at 12,555 yuan/mt, up 65 yuan/mt from the previous trading day. In the Wuxi region, spot premiums/discounts for 304/2B stainless steel ranged from 315-615 yuan/mt. In the spot market, cold-rolled 201/2B coils in both Wuxi and Foshan were quoted at 7,675 yuan/mt; cold-rolled mill edge 304/2B coils had an average price of 12,850 yuan/mt in Wuxi and the same in Foshan; cold-rolled 316L/2B coils were priced at 24,000 yuan/mt in Wuxi and the same in Foshan; hot-rolled 316L/NO.1 coils were quoted at 23,350 yuan/mt in both regions; cold-rolled 430/2...