After softening slightly in March, US standard pipe mills are holding firm to current spot prices, although demand remains less than stellar. US domestic flats prices have been neutral for weeks despite two increase attempts from the mills, and while flats prices have stabilized over the last few weeks, there isn't much optimism that flat rolled spot prices will increase, at least not by any substantial amount. Consequently, it's unlikely that pipe mills will announce any price increase of their own just yet; rather, with a number of lower offshore orders available, mills are focused on keeping A-53 electric resistance welded (ERW) black plain end (BPE) Grade A standard pipe spot prices stable in the range of to $49.00-$50.00 cwt. ($1,080-$1,102/mt or $980-$1,000/nt) ex-Midwest mill.
Import activity in the US has been decent since late March, due to offer prices from offshore being well below US domestic spot prices. The most attractive offers are coming from Korea, Taiwan and Turkey, unchanged in the range of $43.50-$44.50 cwt. ($959-$981/mt or $870-$890/nt) DDP loaded truck in US Gulf Coast ports. March import activity in the US slowed after US buyers booked heavily at the start of the year, but trader sources tell SteelOrbis that inquiries have once again picked up in the last couple weeks.