Import prices for
US import API X-42 ERW line pipe
Vietnam, the
Philippines and
Taiwan have all dipped by approximately $0.50 cwt. ($11/mt or $20/nt) in the past seven days, as countries who are facing antidumping (AD)investigations for welded and seamless, finished and unfinished, oil country
tubular goods (OCTG) have shifted their focus to line pipe. This week, the most commonly reported transaction range from these countries is between $39.50-$40.50 cwt. ($871-$893/mt or $790-$810/nt), DDP loaded truck in
US Gulf Coast ports. Korean mills raised their prices early last month after hearing rumors that an AD investigation for line pipe could be forthcoming, but offers from Korea are unchanged in the past week and are still in the approximate range of $42.00-$43.00 cwt. ($926-$948/mt or $840-$860/nt), DDP loaded truck in
US Gulf Coast ports. However, trader sources say that range is “quite flexible for the right order.”
Meanwhile, spot prices for
US domestic API X-42 electric resistance welded (ERW) line pipe have held steady in the past week with the most commonly reported transaction range having held at $54.00-$55.00 cwt. ($1,191-$1,212/mt or $1,080-$1,100/nt) ex-Midwest mill. Industry insiders say that distribution centers are holding off on placing orders beyond what is needed to fill inventory gaps, and that inventories are forecasted to remain flat until after the first of the year.