UAE rebar market players expect higher prices to be announced for July production as demand has been gradually improving after Covid-19 related measures have been somewhat eased. In addition, scrap and iron ore prices have been strong globally and the trend is foreseen to be sustained now.
As a result, local market leader Emirates Steel Industries is expected to announce its rebar price for July production with some significant increase. The producer’s prices have been rolled over for the last two months at $460/mt (AED 1,689.5/mt) ex-works. The workable market level, however, was fixed at $430-440/mt (AED 1,580-1,615/mt) ex-works, LC at sight. Oman’s rebar, according to sources, was traded in the previous round at $433-436/mt (AED 1,590-1,600/mt) CPT, but for 90-day payment. Domestic retail prices in the UAE have settled at $456-477/mt (AED 1,675-1,750/mt) for local origin rebar and at $450/mt (AED 1,650/mt) for Omani origin rebar, all on ex-warehouse basis.
The upward expectation in the rebar market of the UAE is rather strong, mainly as players expect consumption to increase as contractors have been gradually restoring operations. “May was the lowest, with around 130,000 mt [of rebar consumption]. My estimation for June is 140,000-150,000 mt,” a large trader told SteelOrbis.
$1 = AED 3.67