Orders, activity and inquiries within the US domestic and import line pipe markets have maintained a sideways trend since our last report a week ago.
Both import and domestic prices continue to hold steady, sources note, adding that ex-Midwest mill spot market pricing for API X-42 ERW line pipe is still trending at $40-$41 cwt. ($882-$904/mt or $800-$820/nt), ex-Midwest mill, while US import API X-42 pricing from Korea continues to be heard at $27.50-$28.50 cwt. ($606-$628/mt or $550-$570/nt), DDP loaded truck in US Gulf coast ports.
In terms of current US import line pipe tonnages, Oct. 18 data from the US department of Commerce, Enforcement and Compliance shows that for the month of September, the US imported a total of 60,969 mt of line pipe from global sources. This is down month-on-month from August 2016, when the US imported 110,859 mt (census data) of line pipe from global steelmakers.