Posted on 30 Sep 2026
China's export prices for carbon steel hot-rolled coil (HRC) were stable overall during the week of September 20-24, with Mysteel assessing the export price of SS400 3mm commercial-grade HRC at North China's Tianjin port on September 24 lower by a tiny $1/tonne on week at $498/t FOB.
Export offers for HRC from mainstream state-owned mills in the Bayuquan Port area in Northeast China's Liaoning were heard during the week at around $505-520/t FOB, with transaction prices centering on $505/t FOB. Traders at Tianjin Port were offering at around $495-500/t FOB, according to Mysteel's market roundup.
However, overseas end-buyers didn't show much interest in buying Chinese coils ahead of China's National Day holiday over October 1-7, leading to relatively few transactions concluded during the survey week, Mysteel Global learned.
Market participants expected Chinese HRC export prices to remain range-bound after the holiday, pending changes in raw-material costs and mill offers, industry sources said.
Meanwhile, stand-alone trading has become increasingly difficult, prompting mills and traders to explore project-led export channels that combine steel supply with technical services and project support, particularly in Southeast Asia and Africa, a Shanghai-based ferrous analyst noted.
Overseas projects being undertaken by Chinese engineering contractors could provide subcontracting opportunities in procurement and technical services, potentially creating new channels for steel exports.
While the approach remains at an exploratory stage, it reflects growing interest among exporters in competing through project access and service capabilities rather than on price alone, she added.
In Vietnam, the hot coil import market remained relatively balanced during September 21-25, with import offers no longer fluctuating sharply as they had at the beginning of September.
By September 25, Indonesian SAE1006 HRC offers were at around $540/t CFR Vietnam, higher by $6/t on week.
A deal involving 8,000-10,000 tonnes of Indonesian SS400 HRC was heard concluded at around $535/t CFR Vietnam, while another batch of Indonesian hot coil about 20,000-30,000 tonnes was heard transacted at around $537/t CFR.
As Indian hot coil resources were still largely absent from the Vietnamese import market, the transaction prices of Indonesian HRC remained the major reference point for import prices in Vietnam, Mysteel Global learned.
Market attention in Vietnam is now shifting to the next pricing cycle of domestic producers in October, with Mysteel Vietnam suggesting that Hoa Phat could increase its prices by around VND 100-150/kg ($3.9-5.8/t).
Meanwhile, on September 24 Mysteel assessed China's export price for SPCC 1.0mm cold-rolled coil at Tianjin port flat on week at $556/t FOB.
Source:Mysteel Global
