Buying activity in the Iranian welded pipe market remains slack because of political tensions in the country. Over the past month, domestic prices for locally produced welded pipes in the local currency have not been revised, while prices in US dollar terms have lost around $5/mt. However, Iranian buyers have delayed their purchases amid poor interest from consuming industries. For the coming period, no improvement is expected in the country's welded pipe trade as demand is expected to remain scarce amid the shortage of liquidity in the last quarter of current Iranian year.
Iranian producers' current domestic prices for 6"-8" welded pipes with 2 mm wall thickness of grade B made to ASTM/API are at $655-681/mt (IRR 19,500-20,300/mt) ex-works, while quotations of 10"-14" pipes are at about $681-715/mt (IRR 20,300-21,300/mt) ex-works. Prices are exclusive of five percent VAT.
Chinese welded pipes, 2"-8" grade B made to ASTM A53/API 5L, are currently being offered to the Iranian market at $670-700/mt CFR, unchanged compared to one month ago.
$1 = IRR 29.8 market exchange rate
$1 = IRR 24.65 official exchange rate