Impacted by the rise in scrap and hot rolled coil (HRC) prices in the global market, prices in the local European steel market have moved upwards during the past week and sentiment in the welded pipe market has improved. Also, the European Commission announced its final measures on steel imports, according to which a tariff-rate quota will be applicable, and this has contributed to the positive sentiment in the market as market players’ long wait is now over. As steel prices have started to increase, European welded pipe producers are preparing for a price hike in their domestic market and are aiming to increase their prices twice during February.
For now, a Bulgarian steel producer’s offers for ERW pipes as per EN 10219 are still at €560-570/mt ($638-650/mt) ex-works, though the prices are expected to increase by €10/mt this week. The Bulgarian welded pipe producer’s quotations to Germany are at €590-600/meter ($673-684/meter) CPT, to Hungary are at €565-570/meter ($644-650/meter) CPT, to Austria are at €575-580/meter ($656-661/meter) CPT, and to Belgium and the Netherlands are at €605-610/meter ($690-695/meter) CPT, while its offers to the Czech Republic, Poland, Croatia and Slovakia are standing at €600-610/mt ($684-695/mt) CPT, and its offers to Slovenia are at €605-610/mt ($690-695/mt) CPT.