Imported HRC prices remain high in Poland, demand still slack

SteelOrbis has learned from market sources that demand lacks strength in the Polish flat steel market, with buyers currently cautious and seeking to avoid taking risks.
 
Having incurred losses last year due to their bookings of imported material when the US dollar was strong against the euro, buyers now prefer to wait for more competitive import offers.
 
Russian steel producer Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works (MMK) is expected to issue its hot rolled coil (HRC) offers for April production next week, while another Russian steelmakers is offering HRC to Poland at €523-530/mt ($690-700/mt) DAP.
 
In the meantime, Ukraine-based Metinvest's subsidiary Ilyich Iron and Steel Works of Mariupol (Ilyich) is offering April production HRC to the Polish market at $650/mt DAP, while offers from another Ukrainian mill Zaporizhstal are anticipated to gain clarity next week.
 
On the other hand, HRC offers given to Poland by US Steel's Slovakia-based subsidiary US Steel Kosice and Hungarian steelmaker ISD Dunaferr are at €540/mt ($713/mt) CPT, while ArcelorMittal Poland's HRC offers are at €540-550/mt ($713-726/mt) CPT.
 
€1 = $1.32