Turkey’s steel plate market has remained relatively quiet this week ahead of the approaching holiday. The domestic offers have remained relatively stable amid modest demand but rising HRC prices and firm scrap prices. Import offers, however, have moved in different directions, affected rather by the global market conditions than by the situation in the Turkish market.
South Korean offers have remained at $650/mt CFR for May-June shipments, stable over the past week, while buyers’ price ideas are closer to $630-640/mt CFR, SteelOrbis has learned. Import offers from China have increased from $550-560/mt to $570-575/mt CFR base for end-of-May shipments. Some mills are reportedly ready to give $5/mt discounts.
Import offers from Europe remain limited since Romania is still out of the market due to production issues. The official offers from Bulgaria are still at $800/mt CFR, though the buyers say limited discounts are applicable. Ex-Macedonia shipbuilding plate grade is offered to Turkey at €710/mt CFR or $765/mt CFR according to the exchange rate. The supplier’s prices have decreased by €35/mt ($35/mt) over the past week.
In the local plate market, Turkey’s Erdemir, according to sources, is offering at $680/mt ex-works base, in line with the previous month. However, some buyers have reported offers at up to $690-700/mt ex-works. Local S355JR retail prices in Turkey are now at $770-800/mt ex-warehouse, traders told SteelOrbis.