March 2011 | Welded steel tube & pipe
Market participants cautiously optimistic: Americas Market Analysis
Fears of radiation affecting the Japanese scrap supply will constrain the country’s ability to export material.
MBR attended AMM’s 4th annual Steel Tube and Pipe conference in Houston in the third week of March. The sentiment in the market is that of a cautious optimism where the promised recovery is beginning to take hold, but outside forces could slow the process further. One case in point is that after four months of strengthening steel flat product pricing, welded tube and pipe producers are expecting a retraction in their costs in the second quarter, but the tragedy in Japan may undermine that reality. MBR is continuing to forecast that scrap prices will decline about $10-20/l.ton and undermine cost support for North American steel flat product prices.
Nevertheless, MBR believes it is not out of the question for scrap prices to move higher. Fears of radiation affecting the Japanese scrap supply will constrain the country’s ability to export material. Given that Japan exported 6.3m...
ACCESS RESTRICTED
You must be a paid subscriber to view the full content.
Content over 60 days old can only be accessed by subscribers.
Call +44(0)20 7779 8000 with your credit card details or subscribe online.
SUBSCRIBE
Receive unlimited access to all current and archive content going back to 2008 including downloadable pricing data and forecasts. Plus download the latest issue as soon as it’s published.
Subscribe