The Romanian flat steel spot market has remained relatively quiet this week, with demand continuing to fall short of expectations and trading activity largely concentrated on small-volume transactions. Although buyers have remained active for immediate requirements, the lack of significant restocking activity has continued to limit the overall market momentum. Against this backdrop, pricing developments have diverged between product segments. While hot rolled sheet prices have remained broadly unchanged, cold rolled sheet values have moved higher, supported by tighter stock availability and rising replacement costs rather than any noticeable improvement in underlying demand.
In the domestic spot market, hot rolled sheet (HRS) prices have remained stable week on week at €780-790/mt ex-warehouse. Cold rolled sheet (CRS) prices, meanwhile, have increased from €850-880/mt ex-warehouse last week to €880-900/mt ex-warehouse.
Market participants also continue to follow developments regarding Liberty Galati, although no major changes have emerged over the past week. The second sale procedure has now been officially scheduled for June 19, with the market awaiting the outcome of the process.
Import activity has remained relatively subdued, with Romanian buyers generally limiting purchases to small tonnages required for immediate consumption. Market sources indicate that safeguard quota restrictions and CBAM-related costs continue to significantly affect purchasing decisions and reduce the attractiveness of imported material. Ukrainian suppliers have maintained stable offer levels, with HRS still reported at €760-770/mt CPT and CRS at €850-860/mt CPT Romania. Serbian origin HRS offers have been heard at around €800/mt CPT. Turkish suppliers, meanwhile, are currently offering HRC at €565-580/mt CFR Romania, compared to €560-575/mt CFR heard last week. However, market participants report that quota availability and CBAM-related costs continue to limit buying interest in Turkish material.
