Peak season disappoints and cost control pushes for lower prices, stainless steel mills continue inverted pattern [SMM Analysis]
[SMM Analysis] Peak Season Disappoints and Cost-Cutting Pressures Persist, Stainless Steel Mills Remain in Loss-Making Territory
This week, stainless steel product prices and production costs pulled back in tandem, with stainless steel mills maintaining a cost-price loss-making position. Based on 304 cold-rolled calculations, the profit margin this week was -0.78% based on current raw material costs, and -2.16% based on inventory raw material costs.
On the nickel raw material side, high-grade NPI prices continued to decline this week. The industry's anticipated demand recovery during the "September-October peak season" for stainless steel ultimately failed to materialize, with market confidence continuing to erode. Stainless steel prices slid further, and stainless steel mills found themselves in a cost-price loss-making position, significantly increasing their willingness to push for lower prices and control costs. Combined with downward revisions to September production schedules and ample raw material inventories built up earlier, overall purchasing sentiment remained subdued, further dragging down high-grade NPI prices. As of this Friday, the delivered duty-paid price of 10-12% grade Indonesian high-grade NPI in China fell by 8 yuan per nickel unit to 1,114 yuan per nickel unit.
This week, stainless steel scrap prices consolidated with a downward bias. Both the futures market and the finished product market weakened, and with steel mills facing losses and actively pushing for lower purchase prices, scrap prices followed suit and declined. Although scrap itself has cost advantages, the "September peak season" demand ultimately failed to materialize, steel mill production schedules contracted, and market invoice shortages persisted, keeping overall trading sentiment in the doldrums. With multiple bearish factors converging, bottom support for prices continued to weaken, and stainless steel scrap prices are expected to remain in the doldrums in the short term. As of this Friday, the tax-exclusive price of mainstream 304 off-cuts in Shanghai fell by 200 yuan/mt to 10,100 yuan/mt.
On the chrome raw material side...