Buying activity in the UAE welded pipe market has continued to be tepid without any significant buying from traders and the construction industry. At the same time, low import offers from Chinese mills have kept the pressure on the Emirati mills. Local producers of welded pipes have reduced their offers by $10-20/mt over the past month, following the price declines for feedstock. Market players believe that flat steel prices may continue to decline in the coming period due to weak demand and the glut of import offers in the region. As a result, the welded pipe market in the UAE may see price fluctuations in the coming period.
UAE domestic prices for locally produced ½"-4" welded pipes with 2-4 mm wall thickness of grade B made to ASTM A53 or BS 1387 are at about $700-730/mt ex-works. Prices are given on theoretical weight basis.
Domestic quotations of ½"-4" welded pipes with 1.5-1.8 mm wall thickness of grade B made to ASTM or BS 1387 are at about $715-760/mt ex-works. Current domestic prices of 1"-4" galvanized ERW pipes with 2-4 mm wall thickness are in the range of $890-920/mt ex-works.
Offers of Chinese ERW pipes up to 10" grade B as per ASTM are being given to the UAE market at about $600-650/mt CFR, a maximum of $30/mt lower than one month ago.
Indian suppliers are offering ERW pipes, 1"-6" as per BS 1387 (light series), to the UAE at $700-730/mt CFR, $10-20/mt lower than one month ago.