Singapore — China's largest ferrous scrap consumer Jiangsu Shagang Group raised its buying price for heavy melting scrap by Yuan 100/mt ($15/mt) from Thursday in view of the recent rise in domestic steel prices, a company source said.
As a result, Shagang will pay Yuan 2,440/mt ($358/mt) including value added tax, delivered to Zhangjiagang, for heavy melting scrap with a minimum width of 6 mm, the source said.
This was the second time the mill had increased its buying price this week.
Meanwhile, Shagang said Wednesday that it had lifted its domestic rebar list prices by Yuan 100/mt for sales concluded over August 1-10 .
Other major mills in the province like Yonggang Steel, Xicheng Steel and Xincheng Steel had also followed Shagang's lead and increased their scrap buying prices by Yuan 100/mt on the same day.
Scrap prices might continue to rise thanks to the strength in both steel prices and demand, market sources said. Blast furnace mills were inclined to use more scrap because of environmental protection measures and electric arc furnace mills continue to raise their operating rates, which would lend support to scrap demand.
