It’s been a relatively uninteresting 12 months for the
US domestic and import Grade A electric residence weld (ERW) black plain end (BPE) standard pipe markets, although sellers say they are happy to see year-end domestic spot prices fluttering about $2.00 cwt. ($44/mt or $40/nt) higher than they were this time last year. As for imports, the most commonly reported futures prices from Vietnamese producers, however, are about $0.50 cwt. ($22/mt or $20/nt) less compared to levels seen in early Q1 2014.
“It’s a slow time of year all the way around,” according to one Midwest-based source, noting that many have already started, or are about to start an extended holiday time-off period. For now, the most commonly reported ex-Midwest mill spot price range continues to hold at $47.00-$48.00 cwt. ($1,036-$1,058/mt or $940-$960/nt) ex-Midwest mill, while futures offers from
Taiwan are still trending in the approximate range of $38.50-$39.50 cwt. ($849-$871/mt or $770-$790/nt) DDP loaded truck in
US Gulf Coast ports. Offers from Vietnamese mills are also stable, still coming in about $0.50 cwt. ($11/mt or $10/nt) higher than their Taiwanese counterparts, all DDP loaded truck in
US Gulf coast ports.