Plate prices in Turkey have been relatively stable for a while now with some fluctuation only seen in the offers, following sizeable sales and mills’ shifting to shipment in a new month. Trade has been moderate with no spikes of the demand and so suppliers have found it difficult to achieve price increases in deals.
Import offers for grade A plate from China are at $570-590/mt CFR depending on the supplier, while the cargoes are mainly for February shipments. The prices are considered workable with small deals reported at the lower end of the range. One of the South Korean mills is offering plate for early March shipment at $640/mt CFR, while another is in the market with material for the same shipment term at $615-630/mt CFR. According to sources, the latest deals for South Korean plate were closed lately at $585-595/mt CFR for base specifications.
Availability of European plate is scarce in Turkey and prices have remained high. While the Romanian mill remains out of the market due to its production stoppage, the Bulgarian supplier still stands at $780/mt CFR. “Business is good in Europe. The mill is fully booked until the beginning of February,” a trading source told SteelOrbis.
In Turkey, local plate prices are at $660-670/mt ex-works, according to sources, for February deliveries. Some buyers have reported offers at up to $700/mt ex-works from the local producer, but these levels are not considered workable. In the retail market, ex-warehouse prices for S355j2+N material are at $790-800/mt, while S235-275 grades are available at $750-760/mt.
