After April’s price-driven momentum, the UAE retail rebar market has entered a consolidation phase ahead of the month of May, with stability largely prevailing as Emirates Steel Arkan (Emsteel) has opted to keep its official prices unchanged, effectively anchoring the market at already elevated levels. While lingering raw material constraints linked to ongoing regional tensions continue to shape sentiment, they have so far remained insufficient to trigger broad-based price increases. Demand, meanwhile, remains healthy, supported by ongoing project activity, with consumption estimated at around 500,000-550,000 mt. On the import side, the landscape has shifted compared to what was seen during most of April, with Saudi Arabian suppliers largely stepping back from the UAE market, while Omani suppliers have moved to higher offer levels for May, with some sales already reported in the market.
In the domestic market, retail rebar prices have largely held at the levels reached after last month’s increases, with no fresh revisions heard so far. Material of Emirates Steel Arkan (Emsteel) origin, sold on 90-day LC terms, is still reported at around AED 2,825-2,850/mt ($770-776/mt) ex-warehouse, while non-Emsteel domestic material continues to be heard at approximately AED 2,700-2,710/mt ($735-738/mt) ex-warehouse.
At the same time, previously announced price hikes by other regional producers remain in place, with Arabian Gulf Steel Industries (AGSI) at $730/mt (AED 2,680/mt) ex-works and Qatar Steel at $720/mt (AED 2,644/mt) ex-works, with no new adjustments reported for May.
In the import segment, Omani suppliers have increased their offer levels for May, with Jindal Shadeed heard at around AED 2,725-2,730/mt ($742-743/mt) CPT on 90-day LC terms, up by approximately AED 65/mt compared to previous levels. Market sources report that around 70,000 mt has already been sold, with expectations that the total sales volumes may reach significantly higher levels in the coming period.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabian material is no longer actively quoted in the UAE market, with the latest known levels heard at AED 2,717-2,736/mt ($740-745/mt) CPT.
$1 = AED 3.67
$1 = OMR 0.3845
$1 = SAR 3.75
