A Brazilian exporter told SteelOrbis that he is negotiating Galvalume for export, having the AZ50 grade as reference, at $850/mt, FOB conditions, against $824/mt FOB two weeks ago. According to the source, the 3 percent increase is expected to set the price in line with international prices of the product.
Brazil exported 12,300 mt of Galvalume in January, against 15,800 mt in December 2016, at an average FOB price stable at $806/mt, FOB conditions, with price deals probably closed in November 2016. The exports were entirely by CSN and destined to the US (7,000 mt at $831/mt) and Argentina (5,000 mt at $770/mt), while smaller tonnages were shipped to other South American countries.
In the domestic market such prices are reportedly exceeding $1,300/mt, ex-works, full taxes except IPI, fueling imports of Galvalume and similar products, which reached 27,500 mt in January, entirely from China, at an average FOB price of $616/mt, FOB conditions. The volume of Galvalume imported by Brazil in January is the highest registered for one month in recent years.