SunSirs: Steel Products Industries Bulk Commodity Intelligence (August 20, 2026)

Macroeconomics

1. [LPR] Authorized by the People's Bank of China, the National Interbank Funding Center announced the Loan Prime Rates (LPR) for August 20, 2026: the 1-year LPR stands at 3.00%, and the LPR for tenors of more than five years stands at 3.50%. Both rates remain unchanged from the previous month and will remain in effect until the next scheduled release.

2. [Excavators] According to the China Construction Machinery Association, sales of excavators of all types totaled 19,521 units in July 2026, a year-on-year increase of 13.9%. Of this total, domestic sales reached 7,608 units (including 41 electric excavators), up 4.13% year-on-year, while exports totaled 11,913 units (including 62 electric excavators), up 21.2% year-on-year. From January to July 2026, total excavator sales reached 171,841 units, a year-on-year increase of 24.8%. Specifically, domestic sales amounted to 86,633 units (including 227 electric excavators), up 18.8% year-on-year, and exports totaled 85,208 units (including 197 electric excavators), up 31.7% year-on-year.

3. [US Treasuries] On August 19, the US Treasury Department announced it would expand the scale of liquidity-support repurchase operations for long-term nominal coupon-bearing Treasuries (specifically the 10-year and 30-year issues), raising the per-operation cap from the previous $2 billion to at least $4 billion. This adjustment takes effect on September 9 (local time) and will remain in place through the end of the quarter (November 4, 2026).

4. [UK CPI] The UK's Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 2.9% year-on-year in July, up from 2.6% in June and marking the highest level since March of this year; rising energy bills were the primary driver. Core CPI growth remained unchanged at 2.6% year-on-year—holding steady for the third consecutive month—while services inflation eased from 3.6% in June to 3.4%.

5. [Japan Imports/Exports] Japan's exports rose 23.2% year-on-year in July, exceeding the expected 20.1% and the previous figure of 19.3%; imports increased by 27.8% year-on-year, surpassing the expected 25.1% and the previous figure of 25.4%.

Steel

1. [Iron Ore] On August 18, 2026, the Fenghuangshan Iron Mine—operated by Luxi Mining under Shandong Energy Group—launched joint trial operations in Lanling County, Linyi, officially transitioning into production. The project holds reserves of 164 million tonnes and is designed for an annual mining and processing capacity of 4 million tonnes; upon reaching full capacity, it will produce 1 million tonnes of iron concentrate annually. With a total investment of 3.155 billion RMB, the project allocates 7.7% of funds to environmental protection. Once operational, the mine will address the shortage of iron ore resources in southern Shandong. By operating in tandem with the Huibaoling Iron Mine, it will help establish the Cang-Yi industrial park—a hub with a capacity of over 10 million tonnes. Upon reaching full capacity, the two mines will collectively process 7 million tonnes of ore and produce 1.75 million tonnes of concentrate annually, serving as a core pillar for the security of Shandong’s iron and steel industry and supply chains.

2. [Rebar] National Bureau of Statistics: In July 2026, China's rebar output was 13.223 million tonnes, down 13.6% year-on-year; cumulative output for January–July was 100.928 million tonnes, down 11.2% year-on-year.

3. [Iron & Steel] Customs data shows that in July 2026, China exported 6.02 million tonnes of steel plates and sheets, down 1.8% year-on-year; cumulative exports for January–July totaled 38.26 million tonnes, down 9.9% year-on-year.

In July, China exported 1.92 million tonnes of steel bars, up 20.9% year-on-year; cumulative exports for January–July totaled 11.93 million tonnes, up 12.3% year-on-year.

In July, China exported 660,000 tonnes of angle steel and sections, up 0.4% year-on-year; cumulative exports for January–July totaled 4.58 million tonnes, up 4.9% year-on-year.

In July, China exported 240,000 tonnes of steel wire rod, down 3.2% year-on-year; cumulative exports for January–July totaled 1.60 million tonnes, down 5.2% year-on-year.

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