The growth dynamics in the European hot-rolled coil market has decreased amid weak demand and increased inventories, while prices remain mostly stable, Fastmarkets reported on Tuesday, April 28.
As for supplies in July, some factories indicated higher offers, but overall the market was calm, both buyers and sellers were restrained.
In Germany, offers were announced in the amount of about 730-750 euros (856-879 dollars) per ton of finished products (715-735 euros per ton from the factory) for delivery in July.
One source said that one European plant was aiming for a higher price of 770 euros per ton delivered in July, which would have allowed it to receive 755 euros per ton from the plant, but stated that such an offer was "far from market reality."
However, buyers mostly pointed to achievable prices of no more than 700-710 euros per ton from the factory on Tuesday. Some sources suggest that prices below 700 euros per ton at the manufacturing plant can still be achieved with larger shipments.
."The demand situation is very dramatic at the moment; inventory levels are high and declining very slowly, so there is no need to replenish stocks," the European steel production service center said.
"The plants hope to consolidate the July supply at a price of 750 euros per ton and above, but it will not be easy. Demand is not supporting any growth, stocks are high, there are still a lot of imports on the market, there is no shortage of rolls," said a German buyer.
The daily price index for Fastmarkets hot-rolled steel coils for sale in Northern Europe on Tuesday was 705.63 euros per ton, down by 2.70 euros per ton from 708.33 euros per ton on Monday, April 27.
The indicator decreased by 2.37 euros per ton week-on-week and by 11.87 euros per ton month-on-month.
Over the past six months, prices have increased by more than 100 euros per ton. It is noteworthy that in March 2026, the average HRC index in Northern Europe from Fastmarkets was 708.05 euros per ton, compared with the monthly average of 589.40 euros in October 2025.
Overall, sources agree that changes in the regulatory framework — in particular, the new trade policy coming into force in July, as well as the Carbon Emissions Regulation Mechanism (CBAM) - are fueling the recent upward trend. But at the moment, domestic prices for HRC have apparently reached their ceiling.
Meanwhile, in Southern Europe, the daily Fastmarkets hot-rolled steel roll price index in the domestic market, exw in Italy, calculated on April 28 at 700 euros per ton, remained unchanged from the previous day.
The indicator remained stable week after week, but increased by 2.50 euros per ton on a monthly basis.
