Chinese steel futures hit record highs on robust demand, clampdown

* Strong demand, prices boost steel profit margins in China
* Daily crude steel output in China at highest since mid-Jan
* Iron ore futures pause rally, spot prices touch decade
high

By Enrico Dela Cruz
April 22 (Reuters) - Prices of rebar and hot-rolled coil in
China, the world's top steel producer, rose to record highs on
Thursday, underpinned by strong demand at home and overseas and
helping sustain the high level of profitability enjoyed by
mills.
Rebar on the Shanghai Futures Exchange SRBcv1 rose as much
as 1.6% to 5,238 yuan ($807.52) a tonne, advancing for a third
consecutive day to hit the highest since 2009 when trading of
construction steel contracts began on the bourse.
Hot-rolled coil SHHCcv1 climbed as much as 2.8% to 5,579
yuan a tonne, its strongest since 2014 when trading of contracts
for steel used in car bodies and home appliances started.
Strong demand for steel products at a time when China is
moving to cut output by curbing operations of highly pollutive
blast furnaces, and possible further restrictions, pushed
margins higher, prompting mills to ramp up production.
Crude steel output among the 318 Chinese steel mills under
Mysteel consultancy's regular survey rose to an average of 2.92
million tonnes a day over April 11-20, the highest since
mid-January.
Against the backdrop of "the dual momentum of production
restriction and peak season demand, the market continues to
operate in a bullish atmosphere", Sinosteel Futures analysts
said in a note.
Prices of billets in Asia, for instance, have reached the
highest level in nearly nine years, propelled by strong demand
particularly from the Philippines, which imports the product
mainly from China, they said.
The most-active September iron ore contract on China's
Dalian Commodity Exchange DCIOcv1 slipped 0.1% after a
five-session rally partly driven by strong steel demand. The
steelmaking ingredient slumped 1.1% on the Singapore Exchange
SZZFK1 .
The benchmark 62% iron ore's spot price in China was $188.50
a tonne on Wednesday, the highest on record or since 2011, based
on SteelHome consultancy data. SH-CCN-IRNOR62
Dalian coking coal DJMcv1 leapt 2.9%, while coke DCJcv1
advanced 1.9%.
Shanghai stainless steel SHSScv1 shed 0.2%.