The welded
pipe market has continued to perform sluggishly in the
UAE and most buyers are maintaining a wait-and-see stance. Prices for welded pipes in the
UAE have declined over the past month amid still insufficient demand, cheaper import material and lower offers for flat steel. Local producers of welded pipes have reduced their offers by $5-10/mt over the past month. Welded
pipe market participants in the
UAE expect welded
pipe prices may weaken further as end-user demand is sluggish. Moreover, the market may enter a holiday mood again with the season for the pilgrimage to Mecca starting in early October.
UAE domestic prices for locally produced ½"-4" welded pipes with 2-4 mm wall thickness of grade B made to ASTM A53 or BS 1387 are at about $720-740/mt ex-works. Prices are given on theoretical weight basis.
Domestic quotations of ½"-4" welded pipes with 1.5-1.8 mm wall thickness of grade B made to ASTM or BS 1387 are at about $735-770/mt ex-works. Current domestic prices of 1"-4" galvanized ERW pipes with 2-4 mm wall thickness are in the range of $910-920/mt ex-works.
Offers of Chinese ERW pipes up to 10" grade B as per ASTM are being given to the
UAE market at about $630-650/mt CFR, $10/mt lower than one month ago.
Indian suppliers are offering ERW pipes, 1"-6" as per BS 1387 (light series), to the
UAE at $720-740/mt CFR, $10/mt higher than one month ago.