The most commonly heard spot price transaction range for US domestic Grade A ERW BPE has continued to trend at $46-$48 cwt. ($1014-$1058/mt or $920-$960/nt), ex-mill; the current price point has not wavered since our last report two weeks ago.
Market activity continues to trend light, sources note, adding that the less-than-exciting order and inquiry levels are tied to the typical summer season slowdown, which this year has been further compounded by the uncertainty surrounding the still-to-be-announced results of the Section 232 investigation.
As with other segments, those involved in the US domestic standard pipe market are expressing concern that should the Trump administration fail to implement the long-promised quotas and tariffs on imports, that prices within the US domestic market could be vulnerable to correction.
European Union officials have indicated they have already begun to assemble a list of US goods, including whiskey, orange juice and dairy products, to target for retaliation should Trump move forward with limiting steel imports to the US. Since the US exports very little steel to Europe, the EU instead plans to focus on targeting products that are “politically sensitive.”