Trading activity is still sluggish in the CIS export market for seamless pipes. The unfavorable situation in key market outlets coupled with falling raw material prices have depressed export prices for seamless pipes from Russian and Ukrainian suppliers. Thus, Russian producers have decreased their export offers by around $30-60/mt over the past month. At the same time, the price range of Ukrainian pipes has widened, with the lower end decreasing by $75/mt and the upper end rising by $15-35/mt. Russian and Ukrainian pipe producers do not foresee significant export price growth in the coming period as the market situation is still unstable. Moreover, CIS material is in competition with Chinese seamless pipes which are getting cheaper.
Export prices from Ukrainian mill Interpipe for April production hot-formed seamless pipes of 42-219 mm diameter, of 10, 20 steel grades, as per GOST 8731/8732, currently vary in the range of $885-1,015/mt FOB, while seamless pipes made to ASTM A106/API 5L are quoted at around $905-1,085/mt FOB.
Export offers of April production seamless pipes of 57-168 mm diameter, of 10, 20 steel grades according to GOST 8731/8732 or ASTM A106 from Ukraine's Dnepropetrovsk Tube Works are at $900-920/mt FOB, while export prices of 42-48 mm diameter are at $930-950/mt FOB.
ChTPZ Group's export quotations for June production hot-formed pipes with diameter of 60.3-114.3 mm made to GOST 8731/8732 from 10, 20 steel grades or as per ASTM A106 are at $890-950/mt FOB, while pipes of 273-325 mm diameter are in the range of $1,180-1,200/mt FOB also for June output.
Seamless pipes with 57-168 mm diameter of steel grade 10, 20 as per GOST or ASTM from Volzhsky pipe plant (TMK Group) are quoted in the range of $950-1,000/mt FOB.