Despite ongoing weak demand in the Iranian seamless pipe market in view of seasonal factors, local stockists' prices have relatively remained firm due to the lack of import material amid current international sanctions. Prices for CIS origin seamless pipes have remained almost unchanged over the past month, while offers of Chinese material have decreased by $50/mt. However, market players prefer to take a wait-and-see approach as end-user demand is still low amid political and economic instability in the country. The future outlook for the Iranian seamless pipe market is uncertain, and market insiders do not expect to see a clearer market trend before the Iranian New Year.
Local stockists' prices for domestic production seamless pipes of ¾"-3" size are at about $1,370-1,885/mt ex-warehouse, compared with $1,375-1,890/mt ex-warehouse one month ago.
Import offers of Chinese seamless pipes, 2"-6" grade B made to ASTM A106/API 5L, are being given to the local Iranian market at $900-1,000/mt CFR Bandar Abbas.
Quotations of Ukrainian seamless pipes of 2"-6" size grade B as per ASTM A106 are at about $1,090-1,110/mt CFR Bandar Abbas for February production, while offers of 8"-12" pipes are at $1,150-1,180/mt CFR.
Russian pipes of 2"-8" grade B as per ASTM A106 are being offered to northern Iranian ports at $1,050-1,150/mt CFR Anzali.
Iranian stockists' domestic prices for locally produced seamless pipes:
($/mt, ex-warehouse)
Diameter Price Change*
¾" 1,705 -10
½" 1,690 -10
1" 1,885 -5
2 ½" 1,380 -10
3" 1,370 -5
*over the past four weeks