The reference export price for Brazilian slabs is $485/mt, stable over the last five weeks, FOB conditions for basic commercial grades, maintaining the higher level since July 2025.
The reference price remains stable since fewer deals occur in the last two weeks of December, a recurring annual trend.
Suspended negotiations among Brazilian and US authorities, regarding the import tax imposed by the US on Brazilian products, are expected to return during the second week of January, pointing to the possibility of a small increase of the price in the short term.
In 2025, the reference price began at a yearly high of $540/mt, dropped to a low of $455/mt by October, and has been rising steadily since then.
The negative impact of the tax barriers, imposed on steel products by the US earlier this year, is estimated at $50/mt for the Brazilian slabs.
According to preliminary numbers by Secex, the Brazilian slabs exports in December remain pointing to a decline from the 641,500 mt exported in November.
