<span>CIS flats suppliers have started raising their export prices for January rolling, as expected. Currently, only Metinvest International S.A. has announced a rise and others are planning to adopt bullish attitude too, though they are intend to return to the market next week at earliest. <br> Exporters report much stronger demand from Middle Eastern countries. Regional distributors say the same. In particular, the Emirati buyers have become active as their stocks are empty and they are wary of failing to restock on CIS material due to upcoming New Year holidays. For example, the customers were actively purchasing remainders of the December production and previously manufactured material last week. This week, a booking of about 20,000 tonnes of CIS HRC has been reportedly made at $635/t C&F (about $580/t FOB excluding $55/t freight rate, Metal Expert estimates). Syrian distributors have also expressed willingness to start purchases. Turkish pipe producers will probably be interested in the material too, considering somewhat firmer demand for pipes. Besides, local feedstock suppliers have been continuously raising prices for the past two weeks. Apparently, Ukrainian flats offered at $630-642/t C&F ($580-590/t FOB excluding 5% import duty and freight rates) will enjoy stronger demand, than the local ones priced at about $650-660/t EXW. International distributors of CIS flats report incoming requests from North, West and East Africa. <br> An upturn in buying activity is expected in EU western and eastern markets. The policy of suppliers of Ukrainian and Russian material will be supported by increasing prices for flats and low inventories. Besides, the EU has increased the quota on Russian steel products for 2011; it will take effect in December 2010. In particular, the 2011 quota for flats will be raised by 5% to 2.37 mln t. <br> However, CIS HRC are not very competitive in the Far East. In particular, South Korean HRC are offered to Vietnam at $640/t C&F, while the similar material of Russian origin has been reportedly priced at $665-670/t C&F ($635-640/t FOB Vladivostok/Nakhodka). However, in case Chinese exporters continue raising their offers, dictating the mood in the region, the suppliers of CIS products will likely get a chance to get their buyers back. <br> Market operators report Metinvest International S.A has already started selling January output of Ilyich HRC, having increased the offers by $25/t in comparison with late-November levels. In particular, the above products are offered at $580-590/t FOB Mariupol or $600-610/t FOB Odessa. The mill does not export CRC, however. <br> Zaporizhstal informs its distributors and customers, who have managed to purchase directly from the producer, that the mill is considering a price increase by $20-30/t now. As earlier reported, deals for the material of December production were made at $565-585/t FOB Odessa depending on customer and destination. <br> The official quotations for the products from MMK will not be announced until next week. However, the supplier has reportedly come to the market with trial offers of HRC at $610-615/t FOB Novorossiysk, by $25/t up from the final prices for the December output. <br> Severstal, in turn, plans to set offers of HRC of January production at about $585/t FOB St. Petersburg against $550/t FOB in early November. At the same time, export quotations for the mill’s products may grow further depending on volume, customer and specifications. <br> Source: <a href="http://www.metalexpert-group.com/"><u><font color="#0000ff" size="3" face="Times New Roman">www.metalexpert-group.com</font></u></a> </span>