Merchant bar prices have been rising in the last few months in Iran, with U-beam and angle prices going up significantly during this period. Both long and flat steel product prices have been rising in the local Iranian market during the past few months - a trend resulting from high inflation, the weakening of the Iranian rial against foreign currencies in the free market, and price increases for semi-finished steel (mainly billet) from foreign suppliers.
I-beam in Iran is mainly produced by Esfahan Steel - a few other small mills have entered the market recently but they just produce light sizes of I-beam. Local market demand for I-beam in Iran is usually higher than for other types of merchant bar.
Iranian origin I-beam prices (all prices are on ex-stock Tehran basis and include VAT)
I-beam sizes |
million rials/mt (30.06.2011) |
million rials/mt (30.07.2011) |
million rials/mt (30.08.2011) |
million rials/mt (29.09.2011) |
140 |
9.35 |
9.15 |
9.60 |
9.80 |
160 |
10.07 |
9.90 |
10.40 |
10.32 |
180 |
12.89 |
12.95 |
13.55 |
13.45 |
200 |
14.57 |
14.65 |
14.65 |
14.42 |
220 |
14.06 |
14.20 |
14.41 |
14.05 |
240 |
15.00 |
14.25 |
14.24 |
14.25 |
270 |
12.24 |
11.50 |
12.21 |
12.00 |
U-beam prices have been rising in the last few weeks in the local Iranian marke. Prices of 80-160 mm U-beam (Iranian and Russian origin) are now standing at about Rial 11.40-11.60 million/mt ex-stock Tehran at present, up from Rial 11.30-11.40 million/mt two weeks before and up from Rial 11.25-11.45 million/mt four weeks ago. Local Iranian mills do not produce so much U-beam, and so the Iranian U-beam market is mainly fed by CIS suppliers.
Russian origin U-beam prices (all prices are on ex-stock Tehran basis and include VAT )
U-beam sizes (mm) |
million rials/mt (30.06.2011) |
million rials/mt (30.07.2011) |
million rials/mt (30.08.2011) |
million rials/mt (28.09.2011) |
80-160 |
9.60-10.88 ($891-1,009/mt) |
9.40-10.80 ($872-1,002/mt) |
11.25-11.45 ($1,043-1,062/mt) |
11.40-11.60 ($1,057-1,076/mt) |
Iranian origin equal angle sizes of 30 x 30 mm - 120 x 120 mm are currently priced at about Rial 9.80-11.00 million/mt ($909-1,020/mt) ex-stock Tehran. The Iranian angles market is mostly supplied by local mills and competition among local suppliers can frequently result in low profit margins.
Prices of Iranian origin angles (all prices are on ex-stock Tehran basis and include VAT)
Angle sizes (mm) |
million rials/mt (30.06.2011) |
million rials/mt (30.07.2011) |
million rials/mt (30.08.2011) |
million rials/mt (29.09.2011) |
30 x 30 - 120 x 120 |
9.10-10.32 ($844-957/mt) |
8.80-10.20 ($816-942/mt) |
9.30-10.60 ($863-983/mt) |
9.80-11.00 ($909-1,020/mt) |
US$1 = Rial 10,780 (formal rate)