Egypt steel, cement prices mixed as China margins weaken

In Egypt, iron prices ranged from 36,400 pounds a ton for Al-Maadi steel to 39,800 pounds for National Steel, while Ezz Steel was quoted at 39,250 pounds and Beshay at 38,750 pounds. Egyptian steel producers such as Egyptian Steel were at 39,500 pounds a ton and El Ashry at 37,500 pounds.

Cement prices also moved unevenly, with Egyptian Cement at 3,700 pounds a ton, Arab Cement at 3,830 pounds and Sinai Cement between 3,750 and 3,860 pounds. Building-material quotes were softer at some producers, including 3,400 pounds for Materials Industries and 3,620 pounds for Wadi El Nile Cement.

Gypsum prices were lower still, ranging from 1,850 pounds a ton for Al-Balah to 2,075 pounds for Delta. The spread across inputs shows buyers are still facing a fragmented cost picture rather than a broad-based rally.

The wider metals backdrop remains cautious. Chinese steel and iron ore prices are under pressure as narrowing margins at steel mills limit raw-material demand, even after Beijing outlined special bond issuance plans that briefly improved sentiment. Imported iron ore margins have slipped into negative territory, while higher freight costs and softer spot prices keep a lid on any recovery.

That dynamic matters for investors because it supports steel producers with pricing power and efficient cost structures, but it squeezes mills and traders exposed to inventory risk. In the U.S., metals-linked ETFs also reflected a softer tone, with the SPDR S&P Metals & Mining ETF falling 0.9% to $51.39 on Sept. 9 and the Materials Select Sector SPDR Fund sliding 1.1% to $50.76 on Sept. 10.

For now, the market’s next cue will come from Chinese production data, iron ore import flows and any further signs of steel mill cuts, alongside local construction demand that can quickly shift cement and rebar pricing.