Demand for seamless carbon steel pipes in Europe remains subdued. Though distributors occasionally have to fill specific gaps in their stocks, they are very cautious as regards placing orders due to the downward trend of recent months. Demand from end-users remains quiet overall. Domestic and export quotations for Italian seamless pipes have not changed. However, market participants see mills revising price lists upwards in the fourth quarter. The prospects are a little brighter for late 2009 as end-user demand will improve slowly and export demand from markets in the Middle East, where Europe is one of the main suppliers, looks set to increase too.
Domestic prices of Italian seamless pipes of 2"-8" size grade B as per ASTM A106/API 5L are at about €850-870/mt ex-works. Domestic distributors' sales prices for September production seamless pipes grade B as per ASTM A106/API 5L ex-local producer Tenaris are in the range of €1,030-1,570/mt, depending on size. Thus, prices for 2"-4" pipes are at €1,160-1,190/mt ex-works, prices for 6" pipes are at €1,030-1,055/mt ex-works, while prices for ½" pipes are at €1,535-1,570/mt ex-works.
Export quotations of September production Italian seamless pipes of 2"-8" size grade B as per ASTM A106/API 5L are at €870-900/mt FOB. Export offer prices from distributors of Italian seamless pipes of 2"-4" size grade B as per ASTM A106/API 5L are at €1,195-1,225/mt FOB, while quotations for 6" size are at €1,060-1,090/mt FOB, with quotations for ½" size at €1,580-1,620/mt FOB.
Meanwhile, CIS producers are benefiting from the imposition of antidumping duties on Chinese seamless pipes in Europe. Import quotations of Ukrainian seamless pipes have increased by €20-50/mt over the past month.
October production Ukrainian 2"-6" seamless pipes ex-Interpipe grade B as per ASTM A106 are offered to the Italian market at around €650-665/mt DDU, while offers for 8"-12" seamless pipes are at €700-750/mt DDU (25.1 percent antidumping (AD) duty is not included in either of these price ranges).
Offers of Russian seamless pipes, October output, ex-Volzhsky Pipe Plant, of up to 12" size S355 grade as per EN 10210 or grade B as per ASTM A106/API 5L are at €720-740/mt DDU (27.2 percent AD duty not included).
Offer prices of seamless pipes up to 6" of grade B as per API 5L from Belarus SW (BMZ) are at the level of €780/mt DDU.
Prices for Romanian seamless pipes (TMK-Artrom) up to 6" grade B made to API 5L are at about €800/mt DDU.