Domestic and import plate prices have mostly declined in Turkey over the past month, mainly owing to insufficient buying activity, the weakness in China, and the holiday period. Some suppliers, however, have raised their official offers, having started to offer with long lead times.
Local steel producer Erdemir, according to sources, is now offering at $680/mt ex-works for base plate grades, while $10-20/mt discounts are considered possible. In early December, the producer had been offering at $680-690/mt ex-works base. "There are projects for plate, but not many are proceeding at normal pace at present. The local HRC market is also weak and the price difference with plate is over $100/mt, so many buyers place rather aggressive bids," a trading source told SteelOrbis.
In the import segment, China is offering at $570-580/mt CFR for basic plate grade and for thick cut sheets, while the shipbuilding grades are at $650/mt CFR, market players report. South Korea has started offering for mid-March shipments and is at $630-640/mt CFR, up from $590/mt CFR before the holiday. European suppliers, namely Bulgaria, is at $700-710/mt CFR for mid-March shipment, down from $730/mt CFR earlier. Romania is still out of the market, while Macedonia is at €710/mt CFR for S355JR material, down €20/mt over the past month.
