Due to falling tourism receipts and the property market downturn, a lot of construction projects have been cancelled and demand for welded pipes of large sizes in the UAE continues to decline. Offer prices of Chinese and South Korean welded pipes have remained at their previous levels. On the other hand, domestic prices of welded pipes of small sizes from local producers have risen due to the increase in raw material prices, by $85-100/mt. According to the manufacturers, the market has accepted the new prices and transactions are being concluded. Due to the weak end-user demand in the UAE, nobody was expecting a price increase for welded pipes. Observers are now waiting to see whether the price uptrend in welded pipes of small sizes in the local UAE market will continue.
Market operators report that current prices for Chinese ERW pipes up to 10" grade B made to ASTM A53/API 5L are about $680-730/mt C&F UAE (Prices are on actual weight basis both here and also below).
Quotations of Indian ERW pipes up to 6" grade B made to ASTM A53/API 5L are at $680-730/mt C&F.
South Korean 18"-24" ERW pipes grade B made to ASTM A53/API 5L are being offered to the UAE on average at $650-700/mt C&F. Offers of 26"-28" SAW pipes from South Korea to the UAE are at $1,000/mt C&F.
Domestic prices for locally produced 2"-4" welded pipes grade B made to ASTM A53 or BS 1387 are at about $700-710/mt ex-works, while 3/4"-1/2" pipe sizes are at $720-730/mt ex-works.