Turkish flat steel spot prices have recorded a significant increase over the past week, driven primarily by the continued rise in hot rolled coil (HRC) and scrap prices, which have strengthened the overall cost base in the market. Despite attempts by market participants to maintain stable price levels in the previous week, upward pressure from increasing input costs has ultimately prevailed, pushing prices higher. However, this upward movement has not been supported by a corresponding improvement in demand, which remains weak. Buying activity is described as limited, with most purchasers securing only small volumes, often driven by short-term needs rather than confidence in the market. As a result, inventories in the spot segment have started to build up, while sales volumes remain subdued. Market participants indicate that the sustainability of the current price increases remains uncertain, as the lack of strong demand continues to cast doubt on the market’s ability to absorb higher levels in the coming period.
Reflecting this trend, hot rolled sheet (HRS) prices in the spot market are now reported at $650-665/mt ex-warehouse, up from $630-650/mt ex-warehouse in the previous week.
A similar upward movement has been observed in the cold rolled sheet (CRS) segment, where prices have increased to $725-755/mt ex-warehouse, compared to $710-750/mt ex-warehouse previously.
