The seamless pipe market in Turkey has been quiet with minimal buying activity over the past month. All attempts made by foreign seamless pipe suppliers to strengthen their positions last month have been fruitless as Turkish buyers have rejected higher prices. As a result, foreign suppliers of seamless pipes have mostly cut their offers in line with the weaker market. Import offers of Chinese seamless pipes have declined by around $10-50/mt over the past month. Prices of Ukrainian seamless pipes for the Turkish market have decreased by $50-60/mt over the past month, while offers of Russian material have gone down by $80-100/mt. Prices of Romanian seamless pipes have moved down by $20-30/mt over the same period.
Market participants do not see any optimistic market scenarios for the coming period. The seamless pipe market in Turkey is expected to remain sluggish, with a further shrinking of demand anticipated in the summer.
Chinese suppliers are offering seamless pipes of 2"-12" grade B made to ASTM A106/API 5L to the Turkish market in the price range of $750-800/mt CFR.
Ukrainian producers' offers for 60-273 mm seamless pipes of grade 10, 20 as per GOST are being given to the Turkish market at about $850-900/mt CFR, while 2"-10" pipes as per ASTM/API are quoted at around $870-920/mt CFR.
Russian producer ChTPZ Group (Pervouralsky Novotrubny Works) is offering 1 1/2"-6" seamless hot-formed pipes of grade B made to ASTM at about $780-840/mt CFR.
Import offers of seamless pipes from Romania (ArcelorMittal), 3"-10" of grade B made to ASTM A106 or API 5L, are being given to the Turkish market at around $1,340-1,380/mt CPT.