The UAE welded pipe market has not witnessed any significant improvements over the past month in view of the sluggishness in consuming industries and the bearish global trend. Emirati pipe producers are trying to maintain their prices at current levels, since most of them believe quotations have almost hit the bottom. Market insiders believe the situation is unlikely to improve in the short term. Demand, which is currently lackluster, is likely to be hampered further due to the anticipated seasonal slowdown in business activity in the summer.
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 $750-780/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 $765-810/mt ex-works. Current domestic prices of 1"-4" galvanized ERW pipes with 2-4 mm wall thickness are in the range of $940-960/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 $730-770/mt CFR, against $740-780/mt CFR one month ago.
Indian suppliers are offering ERW pipes, 1"-6" as per BS 1387 (light series), to the UAE at $800-830/mt CFR on theoretical weight basis, unchanged over the past month.