A global stock sell-off is creating market turmoil. On November 18, 2025, Asia-Pacific markets crashed severely. This financial pressure is directly impacting industrial materials, including the stainless steel pipe and stainless steel tube markets.
Stainless Futures Struggle in Bearish Environment
The stainless steel futures contract opened lower. It fell to a low of 12,325 yuan/ton and showed weak momentum. It finally closed down 0.40% at 12,365 yuan/ton. The entire day was spent in negative territory.
Spot Market Follows with Price Cuts
The physical market followed futures lower. Sellers offered discounts throughout the day.
304 cold-rolled coil prices saw cuts of 10-30 yuan/ton. Delong material fell to 12,220-12,230 yuan/ton base. Some futures were offered as low as 12,180 yuan/ton.
304 hot-rolled coil prices also dropped 20-30 yuan/ton. However, these discounts failed to stimulate significant buying interest.
201 materials showed similar weakness. Both hot and cold-rolled grades saw price reductions as mills and traders struggled to secure orders.
Transaction Activity Remains Weak
The market was characterized by quiet conditions. Limited buying interest focused only on specific specifications at the lowest prices. Most sellers reported very quiet conditions despite their discounts. This creates a challenging procurement environment for Stainless Steel tubing manufacturers.
Market Analysis for Pipe and Tube Producers
The combination of weak macroeconomic sentiment and falling stainless steel prices presents a complex scenario. For stainless steel pipe buyers, lower input costs may offer some relief. However, the extreme market volatility makes consistent pricing and stable supply difficult for stainless steel tube producers.
Industry Outlook
With the afternoon session remaining quiet and more discounts emerging before the close, the short-term outlook appears bearish. Market participants expect continued pressure on prices until global financial stability returns and end-user demand shows substantial improvement.
