Billet
Billet price was upward during week 16th in Iran.
Domestic billet size 150 mm started the week trading at USD355/mt and size 125 mm at USD349/mt ex-work
including 9% VAT averagely. Limited supply level made prices surging as they
finished the week USD5/mt higher.
By Wednesday onward some big
mills started delivering last Iranian year cheap purchased parcels of traders.
Besides, this Tuesday is religious Holiday in Iran which will affect market
activity. Therefore, market insiders expect some downward trend in billet
market as long products market is also quiet.
Long Products
Long products were downward by last Saturday as I-beam price sizes
14,16,18 were down by USD27/mt in Esfahan market. Downward trend continued till
Monday then was reversed back to Saturday price level.
Angle and channel were upward by Monday as billet price increased,
but improvement was by just USD3/mt. Market sadness made upward trend stopped.
In debar section, price was down by USD8/mt on Saturday, but by
Sunday onward some mills’ speculation and avoiding billet supply made debar
price upward. Average price of Debar diameter 14-25 mm improved during the week
by USD3/mt to USD429/mt ex-work Esfahan including 9% VAT. Also average price of
INSIG Co debar was up from USD404mt to USD408mt ex-work Ahwaz including 9% VAT
by end of the week, but there was no buying interest. The reason behind this
upward trend was lack of billet supply. By last Wednesday, billet supply level
improved but market would be almost quiet this week due to middle of the week
Holiday, thus improvement in debar price seems unlikely as demand is also
scarce.
Currently Iraqi customers has shown interest in buying debar from
Iran, this made mills speculations increase. But as Turkey’s Kardemir co increased
debar supply to Iraq due to lower Lira rate, Iraqi buyers interest in Iran
market disappeared.
It’s note-worthy that we have Presidential Election on
19th May, though any significant price fluctuation seems unlikely.
Flat Products
Imported HRC 2 mm thickness from CIS started week 16th
in Iran at USD589/mt on truck in Anzali port including 9% VAT and custom duty.
Chinese material was the same at BIK port. By Sunday price became downward to
reach USD 579/mt as market was quiet. By Tuesday onward some producers stayed
back and didn’t offer, this made price up by USD5/mt.
Thicknesses 2.5-15 mm was downward by average USD13/mt during last
week in Iran. Some sizes experienced up to USD 27/mt decline.
Oxin co origin HRP thickness 15 mm or higher was downward due to
low demand and high market inventory. Some sizes were down by USD 16/mt. But
Kavian Steel co HRP price stayed almost unchanged due to limited supply level.
Chinese HRC price has declined to USD410-430/mt fob, but CIS mills
are resisting against any decline in prices. Market insiders expect Russian
material decline from USD450/mt CFR northern ports to USD420-430/mt CFR. If
domestic prices stay unchanged, importing flat products would be affordable.
High prices has decreased import level significantly during last 3 month
CRC market was almost stable. Average price of CIS
origin CRC is around USD720/mt on truck in Anzali including VAT and custom
duty. Importers won’t be interested in this price level due to low
profitability. CIS sellers have stockpiled some cargoes of CRC at their ports
especially Oktao port. Buyers were negotiating for USD20-30/mt discount.
Results of these talks would be clear in coming days. CIS sellers know Iranian
customers are not any more eager to import like before as domestic production
has increased. Iran is becoming CRC exporter too. Latest reports show Iran
would need up to 300,000 flat products during 2017.
CRC market won’t experience any significant change in
coming weeks and prices are expected to be downward. HDG market was still
quiet.
Ex-rate:
In free market: Rials 37.490 /1USD
22nd Apr 2017
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Iran Steel Service Center
IFNAA News
Agency
http://www.ifnaa.ir/en/home