Buying activity in the Bulgarian market for welded pipes remains slow, while demand from neighboring EU countries has dried up too ahead of the summer holidays. Over the past two weeks, export quotations for Bulgarian welded pipes have declined by a maximum of €5/mt ($5.5/mt), while domestic prices have moved down by a maximum of BGN 30/mt ($17/mt) amid sluggish business activity and the downward trend in the flat steel segment. Conditions in the Bulgarian welded pipe market are not expected to improve in the near future as the seasonal summer slowdown impacts end-user demand.
Current offers of locally produced welded pipes and hollow sections of 2-5 mm wall thickness made from S235JR grade hot rolled coil (HRC) according to EN 10219 are being given to the Bulgarian domestic market at around BGN 900-950/mt ($506-534/mt) ex-works, exclusive of 20 percent VAT and on actual weight basis.
Export quotations of Bulgarian ERW pipes and hollow sections of 2-5 mm wall thickness made from S235JR grade HRC as per EN 10219 are at levels of €430-445/mt ($473-490/mt) FCA on theoretical weight basis. Export quotations of Bulgarian water and gas pipes according to EN 10255 are at €460-480/mt ($506-528/mt) FCA.
€1= $1.1
$1= BGN 1.78