I-beam prices in the local Iranian market are now declining considerably after their previous rapid rise. Domestic production 140-180 mm I-beam sizes are currently being transacted by local traders at $730-780/mt ex-stock Tehran, down from $750-900/mt one week ago and from $770-825/mt two weeks ago.
The rising trend in Iran's I-beam market started at the end of February, continued until two weeks ago. Most local traders thought I-beam prices would increase after the Iranian New Year holiday and so demand for I-beam reached high levels and prices began to rise. However, after the New Year holidays there was no actual demand for I-beam and so prices have been coming down gradually in the last couple of weeks.
Local traders in Iran are transacting 80-140 mm U-beam sizes at $600-650/mt ex-stock Tehran, down about $15-20/mt from the week before. The lion's share of the Iranian U-beam market is occupied by Russian, CIS and Chinese material, while a few local re-rollers produce certain U-beam sizes. As regards price and quality there is no significant difference between Russian and Iranian origin U-beam; on the other hand, the prices and quality of Chinese U-beam are somewhat lower.
The angles market in Iran is experiencing an uptrend at present. Local traders are now transacting 30 x 30 mm to 120 x 120 mm angle sizes at $580-630/mt ex-works Tehran, compared to a price level of $550-580/mt the week before and even less a few weeks ago.
The price increase of billet in the global markets can be indicated as the main factor behind the price uptrend for angles. The Iranian angles market is supplied entirely by local re-rollers, which are in turn wholly dependent on imported billet. Thus global billet prices have a direct influence on angle prices. On the other hand, materials in Iran's U-beam market mainly come from Russia and China, and, as regards I-beams in the Iranian market, most are rolled locally from blooms from Esfahan Steel. Thus, neither I-beams nor U-beams have been affected by the global billet price increases.