Spot prices for apartments in Romania are stable, but significant discounts reflect problems with liquidity and demand
The spot market for flat rolled products in Romania remained stable this week, but trading conditions still reflect weak demand, high inventories and limited liquidity. Although expectations related to CBAM initially suggested an increase in prices, this did not happen, as the seasonality at the end of the year and the upcoming holidays further slowed down consumer activity.
Market participants report that significant discounts are still available, especially for down payments and high volumes of shipments, highlighting the reluctance of buyers to commit and the continued pressure on sellers to ensure cash inflows in a weak market.
As a result, prices on the spot market remained stable, with hot-rolled sheet (HRS) still selling at 710-735 euros per ton from the warehouse, and cold-rolled sheet (CRS) at 825-845 euros per ton from the warehouse, unchanged from the previous week. However, despite the apparent stability, the actual trading volumes on the market continue to vary markedly. Several traders report that meaningful business is only possible if discounts are provided, especially for buyers who can commit to large shipments and make an advance payment. Under these conditions, transactions with HRS were conducted at significantly lower real prices - 680-690 euros per ton from the warehouse, while CRS was estimated at 775-790 euros per ton from the warehouse.
Meanwhile, the only Romanian manufacturer of flat rolled products, Liberty Galati, remains inactive, without making any new statements about its future. The situation at the company still looks uncertain, as legal proceedings are still ongoing and many employees are looking for alternative jobs, while many of them have reportedly still not received their unpaid salaries.
Activity in the import segment remains limited, as Romanian buyers continue to reduce purchases ahead of the end of the year, and low domestic demand further reduces interest in new orders. Despite this subdued buying environment, most suppliers have kept their prices at the same level over the past week, with only minor adjustments observed. According to market sources, the Ukrainian combine has kept its offers unchanged, still offering hot-rolled sheet (HRS) at 650-660 euros per ton, and cold-rolled sheet (CRS) at 740-750 euros per ton. The Slovak supplier also maintained stable prices, offering 660-670 euros per ton per hour, excluding VAT, as previously reported. In contrast, Turkish factories have slightly lowered the upper limit of their product range. HRC prices for January shipments