Foreign suppliers of seamless pipes have raised their offers for the Italian market again due to higher steel scrap and billet prices. Nevertheless, prices of Italian seamless pipes have remained unchanged over the past month as basically there was no activity all over Europe. Over the past month, offers of Chinese seamless pipes have moved up by €50-70/mt ($68-95/mt). Prices of Ukrainian seamless pipes for Italy have gone up by a maximum of €30/mt ($41/mt) in the past month. Import quotations of seamless pipes from Romania have surged by €70-90/mt ($95-122/mt) over the period under review. The seamless pipe market in Italy is still struggling between the price increases sought by the mills and low demand. However, the outlook for the market remains positive for 2011. The upward trend in the Italian seamless pipe market is expected to continue, pushed by rising raw material costs.
Current domestic prices for Italian seamless pipes of 6"-8" size grade B as per AST A106/API 5L are at about €1,150-1,200/mt ($1,557-1,625/mt) ex-works, while 2"-5" seamless pipes are at around €1,020-1,100/mt ($1,381-1,489/mt) ex-works.
Export quotations of Italian seamless pipes of 6"-8" size Sch 40 grade B as per ASTM A106/API 5L are at €1,160-1,215/mt ($1,571-1,645/mt) FCA (transportation overland) or €1,195-1,250/mt ($1,618-1,693/mt) FOB (transportation by sea) for January-February production, excluding the trader's margin. Export offers of 10"-14" Sch 20, Sch 40 Italian seamless pipes of steel grade B made to ASTM A106/API 5L are at around €1,280-1,365/mt ($1,733-1,848/mt) FCA, while 16" Sch 20 seamless pipes are at around €1,730/mt ($2,342/mt) FCA.
Prices for Chinese seamless pipes 2"-6" grade B made to ASTM A106/API 5L are at about €820-890/mt ($1,110-1,205/mt) C&F Italy, exclusive of antidumping (AD) duties (in the range of 17.7-39.2 percent depending on the producer).
January-February production Ukrainian 2"-6" seamless pipes ex-Interpipe grade B as per ASTM A106 are offered to the Italian market at around €800-850/mt ($1,083-1,151/mt) DDU (25.1 percent AD duty is not included in this price range).
Prices for Romanian origin seamless steel tubes (ArcelorMittal Romania) 3"-12" grade B made to ASTM A106/API 5L are at about €1,000-1,040/mt ($1,354-1,408/mt) CPT, while 16" seamless pipes are at €1,200-1,220/mt ($1,625-1,652/mt) CPT.
March production of Czech 6"-10" seamless pipes (ArcelorMittal Ostrava), made to ASTM A106/API 5L, grade B, are quoted for Italian consumers at around €950-1,000/mt ($1,286-1,354/mt) CPT.
€1 = $1.354