Rebar prices have been skyrocketing in the Italian domestic market in the past two weeks, due to good buying activity, tight supply, and increasing scrap and billet prices. Deal prices were at €390-400/mt ex-works up to mid-November, while local rebar producers had increased their prices to a maximum level of €450-460/mt ex-works by early December. Last week, deal prices reached €470-475/mt ex-works in the latest sales, as "apparent demand has been strong due to steel prices increasing in general," one producer explained. However, as of today all local producers have suspended their sales in order to better evaluate the situation. "Speaking of price levels makes no sense at the moment," the same producer commented, though adding that "our price idea for the moment equals around €530/mt ex-works, but in January rebar prices might be lower or higher than this - we still don't know." Activities will halt in the Italian steel market in a week due to the upcoming end-of-the-year holidays.