Welded pipe prices in the UAE have continued on a downward trajectory over the past month. The reasons behind the price weakness have been low end-user demand in the run-up to the end of the year, pressure from cheaper imports, as well as decreasing feedstock costs. Local producers of welded pipes have reduced their offers by $10-15/mt over the past month. The local UAE market is not likely to accept any price increase for welded pipes in the coming period due to strong competition in the market and the ongoing softness of demand.
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 $685-720/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 $700-750/mt ex-works. Current domestic prices of 1"-4" galvanized ERW pipes with 2-4 mm wall thickness are in the range of $880-900/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 $600-650/mt CFR, unchanged over the past month.
Indian suppliers are offering ERW pipes, 1"-6" as per BS 1387 (light series), to the UAE at $700-720/mt CFR, $10/mt lower than one month ago.