After the Christmas and New Year holidays, seamless pipe suppliers have come back to the Italian market with higher offers because of rising raw material quotations. Meanwhile, demand in the local Italian market has remained very low after the winter holidays, while the buying activity of foreign consumers is improving. Italian seamless pipe exports remain supported by firm demand from the oil and gas sector in the Middle East and the US as well as from automotive and machinery industries in Germany. However, the European seamless pipe market is forecast to remain weak in 2012 amid the general uncertain economic situation. Market participants believe Italian seamless pipe prices should remain stable or increase slightly in the coming month.
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 pipes of 16" are at €1,700-1,720/mt FCA, for April-May production.
Prices for Chinese seamless pipes, 2"-6" grade B made to ASTM, are at about €820-890/mt CFR Italy. Prices are exclusive of antidumping (AD) duties of 17.7-39.2 percent.
January-February production Ukrainian 2"-6" seamless pipes as per GOST or EN are offered to the Italian market at around €820-870/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 €1,020-1,100/mt CPT.
Czech origin 3"-10" seamless steel tubes for pressure purposes (ArcelorMittal Ostrava), as per EN, are quoted for Italian consumers at around €1,050-1,070/mt CPT.