Stainless steel inventories at sample warehouses in Wuxi, China, rose by 17,000 tons in April from the previous month, marking a second consecutive buildup, according to data released on April 9. Post-Qingming holiday demand fell short of expectations and failed to absorb ongoing arrivals, while mills maintained high production, increasing supply. Inventory structures and price trends across product series showed divergence amid sluggish demand.
In the 200-series market, cold-rolled inventories increased due to higher arrivals from mills, while hot-rolled stocks declined slightly. Despite high April production, rising raw material costs supported prices, which are expected to fluctuate within a narrow range.
The 300-series faced heavy inventory pressure due to concentrated arrivals and weak demand, while 304 cold-rolled prices saw limited gains. In the 400-series, cold-rolled inventories rose, while hot-rolled stocks remained stable. Prices are expected to remain range-bound.