The mood in the stainless steel sheet metal market remains cautious, as the geopolitical situation puts pressure on processing activities, and the prospects for European end users are mixed, sources who attended the pipe and wire exhibition in Dusseldorf told Callanish.
Prices for stainless steel products in Europe continue to rise sharply, with further increases occurring for rolls, sheets and pipes of cold and hot rolled products. Despite the fact that demand has recovered compared to the difficult year 2025, one of the sources at the event expressed disappointment at the continued low activity of end users.
It is reported that European factories are closing their order book for June and starting to make quotes for July. For delivery in May, the plants indicated and agreed on CRC prices at the level of 2,550-2,570 euros per ton (3,005-3 029 US dollars per ton). They offer and receive CRC at a price of about 2600-2630 euros per ton for delivery in June and at a price of 2700 euros per ton for delivery in July.
Sources at the factories say they are concerned about the rising costs associated with the conflict between the United States and Iran and the rapid rise in scrap metal prices. This month, shipments of 304 grade scrap to most EU countries reached 1,400 euros per ton.
Additional pressure is being exerted by Indonesia, where the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources has revised its HPM baseline for nickel ore in accordance with a recent ministerial decree. The new HPM formula, effective April 15, is expected to raise the price of 1.5% nickel ore from $26.66 per metric ton (wmt) to $48.42 per ton. This will affect the entire supply chain.
One of the exhibitors notes that the Indonesian decree will primarily affect the prices of imported coils, but adds that nickel prices have increased by $1,000 per ton this week, which may affect the prices of finished steel.
Forecasts from a number of sources for the coming months are cautious, and activity is expected to decrease as geopolitical uncertainty and rising costs continue to put pressure on market sentiment.
However, according to a source at the plant, prices will be able to maintain an upward trend. None of the European buyers, large or small, surveyed by Kallanish, expects prices to decrease in the medium term, while all sources report improved margins due to the recent increase.
CRC stainless steel imports have declined sharply in recent weeks due to CBAM fees, upcoming precautionary changes, and geopolitics. Two large processors, one in Southern Europe and the other in Northern Europe, confirm that imports from
