This week, following the announcement of government support, uncertainty still continued surrounding Liberty Galati, as the producer is reportedly seeking a financial investor to restart production, while recent developments, including plans for an external financial audit and reports of wage payments made ahead of the Easter holiday, indicate that the plant remains in a preparatory phase rather than moving towards an immediate restart.
On the other hand, in the local market, Romanian flat steel prices have remained stable, as demand has continued to be weak, particularly ahead of the Easter holiday period, limiting overall trading activity. Despite the upward trend observed in the European market, this has not translated into the Romanian market, where subdued buying interest has prevented any upward price movement. As a result, suppliers have largely maintained their price levels, while continuing to offer discounts, especially for large-volume orders and cash payments, in an effort to sustain sales under current conditions.
In the spot market, Romanian HRS prices are still being quoted at €780-800/mt ex-warehouse, while CRS prices are hovering at €880-900/mt ex-warehouse, showing no significant change compared to last week. Nevertheless, actual deal levels are reported to be lower, with HRS at €720-740/mt and CRS at €820-840/mt ex-warehouse, particularly for larger volumes and cash payments.
In the import market, the same quiet conditions have continued ahead of the Easter holiday, as demand has remained limited and the local market has largely been in a holiday mood, with little activity observed. However, according to sources, the upcoming fair in Düsseldorf is expected to lead to some agreements and purchases in the coming week. Meanwhile, the majority of offers have remained stable over the past week. According to reports, Ukrainian HRS and CRS offers have remained unchanged at €760-770/mt CPT and €850-860/mt CPT, respectively. Similarly, Serbian-origin HRS offers have been reported at €800/mt CPT, while Slovakian material has been heard at around €820/mt CPT week on week. Turkish mills, on the other hand, have kept their HRC offers for May shipment stable at €550-565/mt CFR, calculated based on €20-25/mt freight. However, Turkish material remains subject to EU antidumping duties, while additional CBAM-related costs also need to be taken into account, further limiting its competitiveness in the Romanian market.