Posted on 23 Jul 2026
Persistent supply-demand imbalances and high inventory levels that have weighed on China's 200-series stainless market in recent months have led several makers to reduce their August market deliveries of 200-series products, Mysteel Global has learned.
The 200-series grade, a cost-efficient alternative to nickel-rich 300-series stainless steel, is widely used in price-sensitive markets across Asia and other emerging economies, industry analysts said. Its production and supply dynamics in China – the world's largest stainless steel producer – have drawn increasing attention from global buyers and industry analysts.
Several mills in eastern and southern China have decided to pare their shipments to domestic customers by as much as 20% next month from their previous schedules.
The supply adjustments also come as China's steel sector increasingly focuses on curbing 'involution-style' competition, a term used to describe excessive competition that erodes profitability across industries, as Mysteel Global reported.
Inventories of 200-series stainless steel across 89 warehouses in six major Chinese cities stood at 165,445 tonnes as of July 16, higher by 5.7% from a month earlier, according to Mysteel's latest survey results.
On July 21, Mysteel assessed the price of 201/J2-grade cold-rolled coil in Wuxi, East China, at Yuan 7,850/tonne ($1,160/t) in-warehouse and including tax, marking a drop of Yuan 150/t on month.
Source:Mysteel Global
