Despite weak buying activity in the Italian seamless pipe market, prices for locally produced seamless pipes have remained unchanged over the past month due to firm export demand. Foreign seamless pipe suppliers have been forced to reduce prices slightly on account of low demand and the strengthening of the euro against the dollar. Over the past month, offers of Chinese material have moved down by €60-70/mt. Prices of Ukrainian seamless pipes for Italy have declined by €30/mt in the past month, while import quotations of seamless pipes from Romania have decreased by a minimum of €50/mt. However, seamless pipe buyers in Italy are very cautious and are limiting their purchases expecting a correction in the coming period. Meanwhile, prices for Italian seamless pipes are unlikely to decline, given strong demand from foreign customers and the expected seasonal surge in demand.
Current domestic prices for Italian seamless pipes of 6"-10" size as per ASTM are at about €1,250-1,350/mt ex-works, while 2"-4" pipes are at around €1,180-1,200/mt ex-works.
Export quotations of Italian seamless pipes of 6"-8" Sch 40 size as per ASTM are at around €1,270-1,370/mt FCA, while offers of 16" pipes are at €1,700-1,720/mt FCA, for May-June production.
Prices for Chinese seamless pipes, 2"-6" grade B made to ASTM, are at about €760-820/mt CFR Italy. Prices are exclusive of antidumping (AD) duties of 17.7-39.2 percent.
February production Ukrainian 2"-6" seamless pipes as per GOST or EN are offered to the Italian market at around €790-840/mt CPT (25.1 percent AD duty not included).
Prices for Romanian origin seamless steel tubes (TMK Artrom and ArcelorMittal Romania) of 3"-10" grade B made to ASTM or as per EN are at about €970-1,020/mt CPT.
Czech origin 3"-10" seamless steel tubes for pressure purposes (ArcelorMittal Ostrava), as per EN, are quoted for Italian consumers at around €1,000-1,050/mt CPT.