The Turkish welded pipe market has been witnessing weak buying activity over the past fortnight ahead of the upcoming religious holiday in the country in early October, while overseas customers have generally been delaying their purchases amid the slowdown in economic activity in most countries. The situation has also been aggravated by the downward price trend in the local scrap market. However, Turkish pipe producers have kept their offers stable over the past two weeks. Most market players maintain a cautious stance towards the market, believing that the welded pipe market outlook for the coming period is not so bright, with a downward correction of prices considered possible.
Most offers of Turkish ERW pipes and hollow sections with 2-4 mm wall thickness made from hot rolled coil (HRC) of S235 grade as per EN 10219 are being given to the domestic market at about $650-670/mt ex-works on actual weight basis.
Turkish producers are offering ERW pipes and hollow sections made from HRC of steel grade S235 JRH as per EN 10219 to foreign customers at around $640-670/mt FOB, while quotations of cold rolled pipes of steel grades S235 and S275 are at around $720-770/mt FOB. Water and gas ERW pipes with 20-114 mm diameter and with 2.0-4.5 mm wall thickness made to EN 10255 from S235 grade HR products are being offered for export at about $680-700/mt FOB.