Hebei's steel PMI contracts again in December

The Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for the steel industry in North China's Hebei province, the country's top steel-production base, slipped by 3.1 points on month to sit low at 46 in December 2025, hovering below the 50-point threshold indicating contraction for the fourth straight month, according to the latest data released by the Hebei Metallurgical Industry Association.

The 46-point reading was also lower than China's national steel PMI released by the CFLP Steel Logistics Professional Committee on December 31 which dropped by 1.7 points on month to register 46.3 in December, as Mysteel Global reported. The sub-index for new orders received by Hebei's steel mills slumped by