Local producers of welded pipes have decreased their offers by $15-40/mt over the past month amid ongoing slackness of buying activity and lower import prices into the region. Chinese and South Korean suppliers have cut their offers by around $50/mt, while offers of Indian pipes have remained unchanged over the past month. Pipe producers in the UAE will likely try to increase their offers in the coming month due to an anticipated pick-up in buying activity, though lower import offers will limit the price increase margin.
UAE domestic prices for locally produced ½"-4" welded pipes with 2-4 mm wall thickness of grade B made to ASTM A53 or BS 1387 are at about $750-785/mt ex-works. Prices are given on theoretical weight basis.
Domestic quotations of ½"-4" welded pipes with 1.5-1.8 mm wall thickness of grade B made to ASTM or BS 1387 are at about $750-780/mt ex-works. Current domestic prices of 1"-4" galvanized ERW pipes with 2-4 mm wall thickness are in the range of $895-930/mt ex-works.
Offers of Chinese ERW pipes up to 10" grade B as per ASTM are being given to the UAE market at about $650-750/mt CFR.
Indian suppliers are offering ERW pipes, 1"-6" as per BS 1387 (light series), to the UAE at $750-800/mt CFR on theoretical weight basis.
South Korean 10"-20" ERW pipes grade B made to ASTM A53/API 5L are being offered to the UAE at on average $800-850/mt CFR.