Seamless pipe demand remains poor in Spain. Spanish suppliers of seamless pipes have failed to achieve price hikes due to mostly stable raw material costs and the seasonal slowdown in consuming activity. As a result, domestic and export prices for Spanish seamless pipes have remained mostly unchanged over the past month. At the same time, import offers of seamless pipes from China and Italy have increased by €10-20/mt ($7-21/mt) over the same period. Import quotations of seamless pipes from Ukraine have declined by €20/mt ($34-35/mt) over the period under review. Market participants expect to see a revival of business in foreign markets in the coming period, while buying activity in the domestic market may remain moderate. Market insiders think Spanish suppliers will seek to raise seamless pipe prices amid an anticipated scrap price increase in Europe.
Current Spanish domestic prices for 2"-4" hot-formed seamless pipes, grade B made to ASTM A106, are at around €920-1,000/mt ($1,252-1,361/mt) ex-works.
Current export prices of Spanish seamless pipes, 2"-4" grade B according to ASTM A106, are varying at around €950-1,030/mt ($1,293-1,401/mt) FOB, while 8"-10" pipes are offered at around €1,080-1,100/mt ($1,469-1,497/mt) FOB.
Prices for Chinese seamless pipes, 2"-6" grade B made to ASTM A106/API 5L, are at about €680-730/mt ($925-993/mt) CFR Spain, exclusive of antidumping duties (in the range of 17.7-39.2 percent depending on the producer).
Offers of January production Ukrainian seamless pipes, 2"-6" grade B according to API 5L are being given to Spain at €740-750/mt ($1,007-1,020/mt) CPT. Prices are shown exclusive of 13.8 percent antidumping duty.
Quotations of Italian seamless pipes, 8"-10" grade B made to ASTM A106, to Spain are at €1,140-1,160/mt ($1,551-1,578/mt) CPT.
€1 = $1.36