Prices for domestic and imported thick steel sheets in Europe rose in the week to Thursday, April 23, driven by active trading, Fastmarkets sources said.
The prices of slab imports to Italy stabilized during the week, having increased since the beginning of March, after the attacks of the United States and Israel on Iran on February 28 and their widespread reaction throughout the region led to conflict in the Middle East. Since then, the conflict has disrupted global trade, increasing energy costs for all industries, including the steel sector and European refiners.
Fastmarkets' weekly price estimate for steel slabs imported in Italy on Thursday was $600-620 per ton, unchanged week to week.
Southern Europe
Prices for domestic rolled steel in Italy amounted to 750-790 euros (877-924 dollars) per ton from the factory, having increased from 750-780 euros in the week before April 16.
One of the manufacturers informed Fastmarkets that for large orders (over 1,000 tons), an advance payment of 750 euros is charged, while for average shipments in June and July, an advance payment of 770-780 euros is charged.
On April 16, the latest offers in Italy were reported at a price of 800-830 euros per ton from the factory, but since then no deals at this level have been confirmed.
Fastmarkets' weekly price estimate for domestic 8-40 mm thick rolled steel exported to Southern Europe on Thursday was 750-790 euros per ton, up from 750-780 euros on April 16.
In the week leading up to Thursday, import transactions for steel sheet from Indonesia were reported at a price of 780-800 euros per ton for delivery to Spain with payment of duties (DDP), but they were not included in Fastmarkets' CFR price estimates.
Two sources indicated that import prices to Southern Europe are around 700-750 euros per ton CFR, but noted that although there have been no CFR-based offers to Italy recently, currently offers are likely to be at least 700 euros per ton CFR to Italy.
Fastmarkets' weekly price estimate for steel sheet (8-40 mm) imported from CFR's main port in Southern Europe was 700-750 euros per ton on Thursday, compared with 664-700 euros on April 16.
Northern Europe
In Germany, new deals were reported for the supply of domestic rolled products at a price of 840-860 euros per ton from the plant a week before Thursday, compared with 800-830 euros per ton from the plant a week before April 16.
One trader said that only one manufacturer offered materials at lower prices, while the distributor reported offers to this manufacturer at a price of 800-810 euros per ton from the factory.
The trader said that despite the "lack of excitement in orders," buyers are still ordering steel sheet, while
