Thick-sheet steel prices in Italy and Germany rose slightly compared to the previous week, Fastmarkets sources said on Thursday, June 18, while market conditions remained generally stable.
Italy
During the week, it was reported that local prices for rolled steel available for sale were 730-760 euros per ton from the Italian factory, while transactions were reported at 730-740 euros per ton from the factory, depending on the quality of the raw materials.
One of the manufacturers said that the base plate, priced at 730 euros per ton at the factory, "feels like the bottom of a plate with high resistance to low prices from most manufacturers," adding that this level "is entirely due to the cost of production."
According to sources, the prices of steel slab imports to Italy rose in the week to Thursday, which was driven by the constant desire of Asian factories to raise prices.
Fastmarkets' weekly price estimate for steel slabs imported from Italy as of Thursday was $590-620 per ton, an increase of $15 per ton from $590-605 per ton a week earlier.
[So far, there have been]no attempts to change anything with prices,[and]all new changes seem to be postponed until the details of[the new steel import quota]are published," a source in the manufacturing community said, referring to Italian plate.
Fastmarkets' weekly price estimate for domestic 8-40 mm thick rolled steel exported to Southern Europe was 730-740 euros per ton at 7:19 a.m. on Thursday, down 10 euros per ton from 720-740 euros per ton a week earlier.
The prices for the import of rolled steel to Southern Europe were indicated at 720-730 euros per ton CFR without any additional duties.
Fastmarkets' weekly price estimate for steel sheet (8-40 mm) imported from CFR's main port in Southern Europe was 720-750 euros per tonne on Thursday, down by 20 euros per tonne from 700-750 euros per tonne a week earlier.
Germany
Offers for the supply of thick-sheet steel to Germany were received at a price of 790-850 euros per ton from the plant, which did not change compared to a week earlier.
There was no trace of noticeable activity on the market, with sources citing low demand, which is usually observed during the summer season.
Fastmarkets' weekly price estimate for domestic 8-40 mm thick rolled steel exported to Northern Europe on Thursday was 790-850 euros per ton, an increase of 10 euros per ton from 790-840 euros a week earlier.
Author: Ivelina Nikolova
Fastmarkets.com
