Demand for Turkish welded pipe still weak

Purchases in the local Turkish welded pipe market are being limited in line with needs, with demand still at low levels ahead of the traditionally slack season (December-February) since Turkish buyers are working on project basis and also given the depreciation of the Turkish lira against the US dollar.
 
During the past week, Turkish producers' offers for ERW pipes and hollow sections with 2-4 mm wall thickness made from hot rolled coil (HRC) of S235 grade as per EN 10219 to the domestic market have increased by $10/mt on the lower end and by $20/mt on the upper end to $520-560/mt ex-works, against the backdrop of the rises seen in quotations for hot rolled coil (HRC) - the raw material for welded pipe production.
 
On the other hand, demand for Turkish producers' welded pipes in Europe has increased slightly over the past week, though overall demand in the export markets has remained weak. In the same period, Turkish producers have increased their welded pipe export prices by $10/mt on the lower end to $520-550/mt FOB.