Vietnamese, Philippine and Taiwanese producers of API X-42 electric resistance weld (ERW) line pipe have become increasingly aggressive with pricing, which has some feeling as if this has “turned up the volume” with regard to a potential antidumping/countervailing duty investigation. Previously reported tactics of ‘buy now, prices are going up’ have fallen on deaf ears and in fact, prices have decreased by about $0.50 cwt. ($11/mt or $10/nt) in the past seven days. The range out of all three countries is now approximately $38.50-$39.50 cwt. ($849-$871/mt or $770-$790/nt), although anyone interested in booking larger tonnages may be able to negotiate deals. The
US line pipe market is in no way robust, which has offshore producers fighting ‘gloves off’ for orders.
Meanwhile, short, two to three-week lead times and skewed supply versus demand has kept
US prices stagnant. Spot prices for
US domestic API X-42 ERW line pipe are unchanged in the past seven days and are still at $54.00-$55.00 cwt. ($1,191-$1,212/mt or $1,080-$1,100/nt) ex-Midwest mill. Deals below that range continue to be available to those interested in booking larger orders, although most buyers are only placing orders on an as-needed basis as a means of filling inventory gaps.