Steel price trends in June 2026
Steel price trends in June 2026
The China Metal Materials Circulation Association and Lange Steel Network jointly released the June Steel Circulation PMI Index at 45.8%, down 2.2 percentage points from the previous month, continuing to decline within the contraction range. Among the 10 sub-indices constituting the Steel Circulation PMI, 3 showed an increase while 7 declined: the indices for arrival speed, inventory levels, and financing environment rose, whereas sales volume, sales prices, total orders, procurement costs, corporate employment, market outlook, and procurement willingness decreased.
Looking ahead to July, the domestic steel market will fully enter the traditional off-season for consumption, with an overall market trend dominated by structural bottoming out. As the southern region enters the rainy season and the northern region faces persistent high temperatures, severe weather conditions will directly constrain outdoor infrastructure and construction project progress, causing demand for construction-related steel to plummet to its lowest point of the year. Consequently, market inventories will modestly accumulate, while prices for construction steel such as rebar are likely to remain weak and fluctuate. However, demand for industrial steel remains robust. With the continued release of benefits from policies aimed at stabilizing manufacturing growth, demand for plate steel in manufacturing sectors remains strong, potentially widening the price gap between construction steel and plate steel. In summary, the steel market in July will experience a traditional off-season, characterized by a temporary contraction in supply and cost-driven support at the bottom. The domestic steel market is expected to continue its downward and fluctuating trend. (Source: Lange Steel Network)
