The reference price for Brazilian slab exports stands at $600/mt, FOB conditions for the basic commercial grades, stable from a week earlier, after having declined for the first time since October 2025.
Slab prices are driven more by domestic demand from CSN and Usiminas than by export market conditions, insiders say, because exporters Ternium and ArcelorMittal have most of their production costs in Brazilian Real (BRL), while the USD remains near its lowest levels against the BRL in recent years.
In April, Brazil exported 687,400 mt of slabs, in average at $551/mt, with price deals probably closed in February. Total slabs exports in May are likely to be lower than the volume of April.
Brazilian customs data for the first three weeks of May show about 350,000 mt of slab exports, in average at $627/mt FOB, including quality extras.
