The local Italian scrap market has remained totally silent in the past week. No price changes have been recorded, while traders have completed their last deliveries before the summer closures and mills have no need to buy.
Recent discussions in the scrap market in Italy focused only marginally on prices, and some players have dared to suggest a forecast for September. “I have a prediction, but I don't want to expose myself for now. It’s too negative," a major Italian trader said. Other traders, on the other hand, are hoping for a stable market. "I don't expect huge drops [in scrap prices], neither in August nor in September. Maybe there will be downward adjustments of €5/mt, but not more. It is too risky for mills." The market fundamentals have in fact not changed, and scrap availability continues to be scarce. Lowering scrap purchase prices too much would mean that producers will have to raise them back when they need to buy sizeable volumes again.
Meanwhile, the Italian rebar market seems to have rebounded, with an increase in demand from customers who are stocking up before the summer holidays. This has not translated, however, into a production increase, as rebar supply is still abundant.
Another issue that is raising many concerns among scrap traders and steel producers is the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and the new European safeguard measures. 2026 is just around the corner and the European Union continues to lack clear and precise directives regarding the costs and implementation methods of new rules.
To sum up, SteelOrbis has not recorded any week-on-week change in scrap prices in the Italian market:
| Quality | Average spot price (€/mt) | Average spot price (€/mt) | Average spot price (€/mt) |
| Period | July 24 | July 16 | June 26 |
| Turnings (E5) | 280-305 | 280-305 | 285-300 |
| HMS (E1/E3) | 290-300 | 290-300 | 290-310 |
| Shredded (E40) | 330-345 | 330-345 | 330-355 |
| Busheling (E8) | 325-340 | 325-340 | 325-345 |
Prices include delivery and exclude VAT.
Scrap prices in the Spanish market fell by around €20/mt overall between the end of June and mid-July. As far as the local market is concerned, the latest prices recorded by SteelOrbis are €270/mt delivered for HMS (E1) and €305/mt delivered for shredded scrap (E40). In the import market, on the other hand, scrap prices for the same qualities have been reported at €280/t DAP and €310/mt DAP, respectively.
