Ex-CIS flat steel offers to local Turkish market rise, demand remains weak

The Turkish flat steel import market is experiencing a quieter period than in the previous month. Meanwhile, offers given by Russian and Ukrainian producers to the local Turkish market have indicated increases.
 
Last month, Russian producer Severstal's March rolling HRC offers to the Turkish domestic market were standing at $700-715/mt CFR, while the producer's CRC offers were at $785/mt CFR. However, the producer revised its March rolling flat steel offers downward at the end of February by as much $25-30/mt, with the HRC offers of the producer to Turkey declining to $675-685/mt CFR, while its CRC offers decreased to $775/mt CFR. In addition, Severstal is currently offering April production hot rolled coil (HRC) from its mill 2000 to Turkey at the base price level of $705/mt CFR, while its offers for HRC from its mill 1700 are at $690/mt CFR. Severstal's cold rolled coil (CRC) offers to the Turkish market are standing at $780-805/mt CFR.
 
On the other hand, Russian steel producer Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works' (MMK) previous HRC offers to Turkey were at $640/mt FOB black Sea, while the producer has not given any new offers this month to Turkey. MMK's previous CRC offers to the Turkish market were at $790/mt CFR, while the producer has reduced its new offers to $775/mt CFR.
 
In the meantime, as Ukrainian producer Metinvest has filled its order book for April production, it currently has no offers to the local Turkish market. However, traders are giving HRC offers from the production of Ilyich Iron and Steel Works of Mariupol (Ilyich) to Turkey at $640-650$/mt CFR.
 
SteelOrbis has learned that another Ukrainian steel producer Zaporizhstal is offering HRC to the Turkish market at $660/mt CFR, indicating an increase of $20/mt as compared to last month.
 
Overall, it is difficult to say that the Turkish import market is very active at the current time; however, it can be noted that the most active buyers in the market are the pipe mills.