The demand recovery in the Turkish plate market has turned out to be short-lived and business activity has weakened recently. Prices, however, have not changed just yet, but buyers are exerting more pressure on them. "Buyers did not accept the price increases for plate despite the higher hot rolled coil (HRC) offers in the country. We do not have high stock levels, but clients are still able to find their materials and they have started to exert pressure on prices," a trader told SteelOrbis.
Big traders in the Gebze region are offering $540-550/mt for S235JR quality and at $580-590/mt for S355 quality plates, both ex-warehouse. In the meantime, traders’ offers for St37 grade 15-40 mm x 1,500 mm plate have also not changed and are at $520-540/mt ex-warehouse in Gebze and $510-530/mt ex-warehouse in the Eregli region, SteelOrbis has learned. The levels are for advance payment and prompt deliveries. Erdemir's prices for plate are stable at $510-520/mt ex-works for S235JR quality and at $560/mt ex-works for S355 quality plates, but it is not possible to find July production materials any longer, with products for August-September production now offered.
Import offers have also not changed since last week. Bulgaria’s Stomana Industry S.A. is in the market with $550/mt CFR for S235JR grade and $590/mt CFR for S355JR grade, for August production. In the shipbuilding plate segment, Macedonia-based Makstil’s price is at €510/mt CFR for August deliveries, SteelOrbis has learned.