The UAE welded pipe market has remained sluggish as end-user demand remains weak in the run up to the end of the year, while stocks are rather high. Import and local welded pipe prices in the UAE have declined further over the past month. Accordingly, local producers of welded pipes have reduced their offers by $5-10/mt over the period under review. Chinese suppliers have decreased their offers by $20-30/mt during this period, while quotations of Indian welded pipes have moved down by a maximum of $20/mt. Nevertheless, market players believe trading activity will start to improve in the first quarter of 2015 on the back of higher activity in consuming sectors.
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 $680-710/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 $690-740/mt ex-works. Current domestic prices of 1"-4" galvanized ERW pipes with 2-4 mm wall thickness are in the range of $870-890/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 $580-620/mt CFR, $20-30/mt lower than one month ago.
Indian suppliers are offering ERW pipes, 1"-6" as per BS 1387 (light series), to the UAE at $680-720/mt CFR, a maximum of $20/mt lower than one month ago.