Chinese suppliers have no chance of increasing their prices for the European market due to the antidumping duty imposed recently. As a result, the lower end of prices for Chinese seamless pipes has remained stable, but the upper end has decreased by €10/mt over the past month. Russian manufacturers are still decreasing offer prices for the Italian market, reducing them by €55-75/mt during the period under discussion. In the meantime, Ukrainian producers have raised their offer prices for the Italian market by an average of €30-70/mt, supported by high domestic prices. The Ukrainian pipes are able to compete even with the Italian prices despite the trade restrictions.
Domestic distibutors' sales prices for June production seamless pipes grade B as per ASTM A106/API 5L ex-Tenaris remain at €1,170-1,750/mt, depending on size. Thus, prices for 2"-4" pipes are at €1,290-1,350/mt ex-works, prices for 6" pipes are at €1,170/mt ex-works, and for 1/2" pipes are at €1,740-1,750/mt ex-works.
Export quotations of Italian seamless pipes of 2"-4" size grade B as per ASTM A106/API 5L are at €1,330-1,390/mt FOB, for 6" size are at €1,200-1,210/mt FOB, and for ½" size are at €1,790-1,800/mt FOB.
Offers of June-July production Chinese seamless pipes for mechanical application of sizes up to 8" with 60 mm wall thickness of S355J2H grade as per EN 10210 are being given to the Italian market at about €700/mt C&F (15.1-24.2 percent AD duty not included, depending on the plant). Quotations of Chinese 2"-6" seamless pipes grade B as per ASTM A106/API 5L are at €520-565/mt C&F.
June production Ukrainian seamless pipes ex-Interpipe, for mechanical applications, up to 14" size with 60 mm wall thickness, of S355J2H grade as per EN 10210, are offered to the Italian market at about €1,000/mt DDU (25.1 percent AD duty not included).
Offers of June production Russian seamless pipes ex-Volzhsky Pipe Plant, of 12"-16" size with 60 mm wall thickness S355J2H grade as per EN 10210 are at €625/mt DDU (27.2 percent AD duty not included).
The future seamless pipe pricing trends of foreign suppliers for the Italian market will depend on the pricing policy of local Italian manufacturer Tenaris. However, it is unlikely that Tenaris will increase its prices for the third quarter, taking into account the low level of demand in both domestic and external markets and the rather high levels of current quotations.