Buying activity in the German seamless pipe market has been declining in line with seasonal factors. German producers have kept their seamless pipe prices in euro terms at the same levels as one month ago, but due to currency fluctuations prices in dollar terms have increased by $33-35/mt. Import prices of Chinese material have decreased by around €20/mt ($3-5/mt) over the past month, while offers of Romanian pipes have gone down by €20-30/mt ($3/mt). Seamless pipe prices from Italian suppliers have remained unchanged. In December the seamless pipe market in Germany promises to be quiet due to the approach of the Christmas and New Year holidays. However, in January seamless pipe suppliers may try to increase their prices and to start the New Year with new hopes for a recovery.
German 2"-6" seamless pipes of grade S355 made to EN 10210 are being given to local buyers at around €880-920/mt ($1,212-1,267/mt) delivered, while pipes of grade B as per ASTM A106 are at about €920-950/mt ($1,267-1,308/mt) delivered.
Export quotations of German 2"-4" seamless pipes of grade B as per ASTM A106 are in the range of €930-960/mt ($1,280-1,322/mt) FCA on theoretical weight basis.
Prices for Chinese seamless pipes, 2"-6" grade B made to ASTM A106/API 5L, are at about €600-650/mt ($826-895/mt) CFR Germany, exclusive of antidumping duties.
Romanian 4"-6" seamless pipes made to ASTM A106 of steel grade B are being offered to the German market at about €980-1,000/mt ($1,349-1,377/mt) CPT.
Prices for Italian seamless pipes of 2"-10" grade B made to ASTM A106 are at about €1,100-1,150/mt ($1,515-1,583/mt) CPT.
€1 = $1.37