Romanian long steel spot prices have failed to sustain the recent upward adjustments, as demand has remained slow and the domestic market outlook is increasingly bleak. While prices were previously lifted in response to higher European price levels and rising cost expectations linked to CBAM, these supportive factors have proven insufficient to underpin the local market. This week, Romania’s sole rebar producer has opted to keep its official prices unchanged, signaling a cautious stance, while spot traders have revised their offers downward in an effort to stimulate sales amid persistently weak demand. Market participants report that limited construction activity, ongoing liquidity constraints and subdued purchasing appetite continue to weigh on sentiment, raising doubts over the sustainability of earlier price increases in the near term.
As a result, rebar prices from the sole domestic producer have remained stable over the past week, with offers maintained at €600-610/mt ex-works. However, traders’ quotations have moved lower, falling to €590-600/mt ex-warehouse, compared with €590-615/mt ex-warehouse in the previous week.
Similarly, in the wire rod segment, traders’ offers have softened to €585-590/mt ex-warehouse, down from €585-600/mt ex-warehouse a week earlier.
Meanwhile, activity in the import segment has remained limited, as Romanian buyers continue to hold relatively high stock levels amid sluggish domestic demand. According to market sources, rebar offers from a Bulgarian supplier have declined by €5-10/mt week on week to €605-615/mt CPT, while Greek suppliers have continued to quote rebar at €585-590/mt CFR and wire rod at €595-620/mt CFR to Romania. In addition, rebar offers from Hungary and Italy have been heard stable at €625-630/mt CPT and €615-620/mt CPT, respectively.
Among non-EU suppliers, Egyptian offers have also remained unchanged, with rebar still quoted at €490-495/mt CFR and wire rod at €495-500/mt CFR, in line with the previous week. Meanwhile, Turkish suppliers’ offers have edged up slightly to €480-495/mt CFR, compared with €475-495/mt CFR previously, mainly reflecting recent currency movements. These levels are based on an exchange rate of €1 = $1.18 and estimated freight costs of €15-20/mt.