Posted on 24 Dec 2025
China’s market for hot-rolled coil (HRC) for export continued to face strains from trade policy uncertainties abroad and weak overseas demand, with Mysteel assessing the export price of SS400 3mm HRC at $445/tonne FOB from North China's Tianjin port on December 19, Mysteel's latest market roundup showed.
During the survey week, HRC offers from mainstream Chinese steel mills retreated slightly from the previous week's $465-475/t FOB to around $460-465/t FOB, with the actual tradable level settling at $455-460/t FOB.
An industry watcher predicted that Beijing's export licensing system may limit the outflow of non-VAT hot coil resources into the market, propping up export prices of HRC overall.
On December 12, the central government had announced the reintroduction of an export licensing system for some 300 steel products that from next January 1 will require steel exporters to secure licences based on formal export contracts and manufacturer-issued quality inspection certificates, as Mysteel Global reported.
According to Mysteel's tracking, the export price of SS400 3mm HRC at Tianjin port had slumped from $480/t FOB at end-September to $445/t FOB as of December 19.
However, overall trading sentiment had remained cautious as many of the scheme's finer details are still to be clarified by the government, she noted.
In Southeast Asia, import prices for SS400 3mm HRC from China and elsewhere which Mysteel regularly monitors remained flat on week at $458/t CFR. This was also lower by a striking $35/t from end-September's high point of $493/t CFR, Mysteel Global noted.
Source:Mysteel
