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Forecasts and market analysis based on price assessments from Fastmarkets MB and Fastmarkets AMM

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October 2017 | Steel Forecaster


China returns to the market but no clear direction emerges: International Flat Product Market Analysis


Severstal has a potential to become a new major player in the European HRC imports market.

The return of China from the holiday was marked by high volatility of domestic HRC prices, while export prices fell to $555/tonne. Understandably, warehouse inventories jumped during the holiday week, with HRC stocks up by 8.8% w-o-w and the total for flat steel stocks increasing by 7.8% w-o-w. However, the market was concerned by capacity closures and their impact on near-term prices. Cities of Tangshan and Handan went ahead with restrictions a month earlier than expected, ordering cuts to blast furnace production, sintering output and outdoor construction activities, which led to a jump in futures and domestic prices last week.

At the same time, demand...

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