March 2011 | Welded steel tube & pipe
EU standard sales slow: Europe, Middle East and Africa Market Analysis
Mills therefore have struggled to increase margins in the way that they hoped and have been willing to cut prices to around €720-740/tonne ex-works for S235 material in Italy compared to as much as €800/tonne that they were seeking late last month.
After the active buying seen in the first six weeks of the year as buyers sought to pre-empt the price hikes, there has been a significant slowing of activity for standards and structural. Distributors and consumers are now well-stocked with pipe and with expectations of price weakness for HR coil later in the second quarter they are deferring orders where possible.
Mills therefore have struggled to increase margins in the way that they hoped and have been willing to cut prices to around €720-740/tonne ex-works for S235 material in Italy compared to as much as €800/tonne that they were seeking late last month. This is being put under further pressure by central and Eastern European producers offering at up to €20/tonne below that level i.e. below €700/tonne. The strength of the euro has also attracted imports.
HR coil prices have come...
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