Posted on 28 Jul 2025
Rebar production among the 137 Chinese integrated mills and mini-mills regularly tracked by Mysteel recovered during July 17-23 after two consecutive weeks of declines, the latest survey results showed. Rebar output rose by 1.4% or 29,000 tonnes on week to reach 2.12 million tonnes but despite the rebound, the total was still 2.2% lower than the corresponding period last year.
During the survey week many steel mills, especially those in North China's Hebei, Northwest China's Xinjiang, East China's Anhui and Southeast China's Fujian, had resumed operations after maintenance or had adjusted rolling plans, which contributed to the rise in rebar output, respondents said.
Over the survey period, both rebar rolling capacity utilization and the operational rates among the surveyed producers grew too, with the former rising by 0.6 percentage point on week to 46.5%, and the latter climbing by 1 percentage point on week to 43.9%, Mysteel's data indicated.
China's spot rebar prices had strengthened further in the past week amid the prevailing market optimism spurred by multiple factors such as Beijing's pledges to stabilize industrial growth and the actioning of large infrastructure projects such as the construction of a mega hydropower dam in Southwest China's Xizang, as reported.
On July 24, Mysteel assessed China's national price of the HRB400E 20mm dia rebar, for example, higher by Yuan 154/tonne ($21.5/t) on week at Yuan 3,441/t including the 13% VAT, a 4.5-month high.
In addition, the resilient prices of steelmaking raw materials had also lent some support to spot rebar prices. For example, by Thursday Mysteel's assessment of the national composite coking coal price had jumped by Yuan 106.9/t on week to reach Yuan 1,137.5/t including the VAT.
The sharp rebound in bar prices had triggered some replenishment among end-users and speculative buying. The spot trading volume of long steel comprising rebar, wire rod and bar-in-coil among the 237 trading houses nationwide under Mysteel's coverage picked up by 15.9% or 15,071 tonnes/day on week to average 110,112 t/d over July 18-24.
On the other hand, the buoyant sales saw rebar inventories at the 137 mills thin by 4.3% or 74,300 tonnes on week to 1.66 million tonnes by Thursday. Meanwhile, the tonnage at the commercial warehouses in the 35 Chinese cities Mysteel monitors had mounted but at a slower pace, edging up 0.8% or by 28,100 tonnes during the same period to 3.73 million tonnes, smaller than the prior week's 106,700 tonne-rise.
Source:Mysteel Global
