According to sources, one slab exporter is about to close the sale of its last volume for March shipment at $830/mt, FOB conditions.
Such small volume was offered to a client in the US, after having closed last week similar deals with clients in that country at $740/mt, also FOB conditions.
Sales to non-US destinations are reportedly being negotiated at $700/mt under the same conditions, against $660/mt last week.
Those sharp increases reflect the same scenario seen last week, with prices positively affected by reduced availability of slab for exports, as Usiminas is idling its Ipatinga blast furnace number 3 for revamping, while other producers are having technical problems, operating at low production pace.
In December, Brazil exported 482,600 mt of slab, while importing 40,400 mt of the product. Similar or slightly higher volumes are expected for January.