Activity is slow in the German seamless pipe market despite expectations for a seasonal improvement, given lingering economic uncertainty. Local buyers are not interested in building stocks and continue to buy only in line with their needs, while purchasing activity in the foreign markets also remains slack. Market players believe that seamless pipe suppliers in Germany will face pressure from the deterioration in raw material prices, high inventories and weakening demand prospects, leading to declines in seamless pipe prices over the next month.
German 2"-6" seamless pipes of grade S355 made to EN 10210 are being given to local buyers at around €900-940/mt ($1,182-1,234/mt) delivered.
Export offers of 2"-6" seamless pipes made to EN 10210 of steel grade S355J2H are being given by German producers at around €920-950/mt ($1,208-1,247/mt) FCA.
Export quotations of German 2"-6" seamless pipes of grade B as per API 5L are in the range of €1,080-1,100/mt ($1,418-1,444/mt) FCA, while offers of pipes of grade X52 are at the level of €1,190-1,200/mt ($1,562-1,576/mt) FCA.
Prices for Chinese seamless pipes 2"-6" grade B made to ASTM A106/API 5L are at about €640-700/mt ($840-920/mt) CFR Germany, exclusive of antidumping duties.
Romanian 4"-6" seamless pipes made to EN 10210 of steel grade S355J2H are being offered to the German market at about €930-960/mt ($1,221-1,260/mt) CPT.
Prices for Italian seamless pipes 2"-5" grade B made to ASTM A106 are at about €1,045-1,110/mt ($1,372-1,457/mt) CPT.