Posted on 21 Aug 2025
Crude steel production among China's top ten steelmaking provinces and autonomous regions amounted to 428.5 million tonnes during this year’s January-July period, down 3.3% on year, according to the latest data released by the country's National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
During July alone, crude steel output among the country's top ten regions showed mixed trends, with half posting on-year increases and another half decreases. Of these, North China's Hebei province, the country's largest steel production base, saw an on-year rise of 5.8% last month, reversing the 5.5% on-year fall in June.
Total July production in the ten regions reached 56.7 million tonnes, down by 3.4% from July 2024, the NBS data indicated.
The on-year fall in July shouldn't surprise, as steel mills stepped up maintenance work and controlled their crude steel output last month, as reported. High temperatures and torrential rains in many parts also impacted steel consumption.
On the other hand, crude steel output wasn't as low as is often seen at this time of year, as evidenced by narrower on-year fall despite the summer season lull. This mainly reflected the relatively high profit margins achieved by blast-furnace steel mills under the support of high finished steels prices, as reported.
For example, during July China's national price of HRB400E 20mm dia rebar, a barometer of domestic steel-market sentiment, averaged Yuan 3,330/tonne ($464/t) including the 13% VAT, up by 3.5% on month and 2.2% on year.
Meanwhile, the national price of Q235 4.75mm hot-rolled coil under Mysteel's assessment also increased by Yuan 130/t or 4% on month to average Yuan 3,364/t including the 13% VAT last month, according to Mysteel's assessment.
Source:Mysteel Global
