Posted on 14 Apr 2026
Baoshan Iron & Steel Co (Baosteel), the listed arm of the world's top steelmaker China Baowu Steel Group, is raising list prices of some of its major flat-rolled items including for hot-rolled coil (HRC), by Yuan 100/tonne ($14.6/t) for domestic sales in May, according to the company's latest pricing announcement issued late on April 10.
Baosteel's recent price adjustments
Product Price adjustment | Feb | Mar | April | May |
Hot-rolled coils | - | 100 | 200 | 100 |
Carbon steel plates | - | 100 | 200 | 100 |
Pickled and oiled coils | - | 100 | 200 | 100 |
Cold-rolled coils | - | 100 | 200 | - |
Hot-dipped galvanized steel | - | 100 | 200 | - |
Electro-galvanized steel | - | 100 | 200 | - |
Color-coated coils | - | 100 | 200 | 100 |
Non-grain oriented electrical steel | - | 100 | 200 | 100 |
Grain oriented electrical steel | - | 100 | - | - |
Source: Baosteel
Since the end of the Chinese New Year (CNY) holiday in late February, Baosteel has issued two pricing statements – for April and then for May – and both saw prices of some products raised, Mysteel Global notes. For last Friday's announcement for May, Baosteel is trying to offset rising raw material costs, a Shanghai-based analyst observed.
Although Baosteel gave no explanation for the increase, escalating geopolitical tensions have driven energy prices higher, pushing up alternative fuel prices such as coal, the analyst noted. Iron ore prices have also remained at elevated levels over the past month, obliging integrated mills to raise their steel prices, according to the analyst.
On the other hand, steady supplies of hot coil and the gradual recovery of steel consumption are balancing domestic HRC supply-demand fundamentals, which has also boosted the confidence of mills to firm their prices, he commented.
Back in mid-March for example, Angang Steel Co (the Shenzhen-listed arm of China's second-largest steelmaker Ansteel Iron & Steel Group) had announced that it was raising its prices of carbon steel HRC by Yuan 200/t for domestic sales this month, as reported. Angyang had announced its rise a few days after Baosteel had tabled its for April, which suggests that Angang could also be planning to announce higher prices for May in a few days' time.
HRC output among the 37 mills Mysteel regularly monitors stood at 3.02 million tonnes during April 2-8, up 63,500 tonnes or 2.2% on month.
Consumption of consumer goods including automobiles and white goods is also showing a modest recovery, especially those for export, as Mysteel Global had reported.
These factors, coupled with relatively low steel stocks at manufacturing firms, have given the steel mills' leverage to maintain high prices, the analyst remarked.
Meanwhile Shagang Group, China's leading privately-owned steelmaker headquartered in Zhangjiagang in East China's Jiangsu province, had announced earlier this month that it was raising the list price of its Q235 5.5*1500mm HRC and SPHC 4*1250mm HRC by Yuan 100/t to Yuan 3,600/t and Yuan 3,610/t, respectively, for April sales.
Source:Mysteel Global
