Brazilian exports of slab declined by 11.9 percent month-on-month in August to 329,000 mt, according to the country’s ministry of development, industry and foreign trade MDIC.
The main exporter was ThyssenKrupp CSA, which has shipped 199,000 mt, 14.7 percent less than in July, to the Calvert, Alabama rolling plant, recently sold by the German group to a consortium of ArcelorMittal, Nippon Steel and Sumitomo.
Other exporters were Gerdau Acominas, with 94,000 mt, 4.8 percent less than in July, shipped to the US and to Asia, and Usiminas, which has sold 35,000 mt to Mexico.
The average FOB export price went down by 3 percent to $508/mt, with the ThyssenKrupp CSA exports at $511/mt, Gerdau’s at $494/mt and Usiminas’ at $528/mt.
A major producer told SteelOrbis that its most recent slab sale price for exports remain closed at $500/mt, FOB Port terms for the base commercial grades.
The source mentioned that increased tonnages available for export, reflecting the lackluster domestic demand for steel products, could point to lower prices in the short term, but warned that such price reduction would be very limited, as the current price levels are already threatening the profitability.