Steel Retreats as Seasonal Slowdown Looms in Commodity News 14/05/2026 Steel rebar futures fell toward CNY 3,200 per ton, pulling back from nine-month highs as expectations of a seasonal slowdown in demand and softer downstream consumption weighed on the market. Mysteel’s latest monthly industry report indicated that construction steel prices in China are likely to face pressure this month due to weakening supply-demand fundamentals. The report also noted that long steel output is expected to increase as improving profit margins encourage domestic steelmakers to raise production, potentially adding downward pressure later in the month as end-user demand weakens, particularly in southern China during the wet season. Still, stronger-than-expected economic data from China provided some support to sentiment, with exports surging to a record high in April as companies accelerated stockpiling of components amid concerns that the Iran conflict could further raise input costs. Source: Trading Economics 2026-05-14 hellenicshippingnews... tweet Share