[Ferro-Alloys.com] 

 

The company has increased hot-rolled and cold-rolled/hot-dip galvanised prices by €20/t, to €1,170/t and €1,320/t, respectively.

 

Unlike most of its other increases in the last few months, this comes amid a quieter market, where buyers' sense of panic has abated somewhat. For much of this year, buyers have bought in the belief prices would rise further.

 

There has been less activity recently, with most buyers concerned about softening Asian prices and slower automotive demand — some mills have opened up small pockets of availability to the wider industrial market after auto-linked buyers postponed contractual supplies. Nonetheless, few large tier-one European mills are in the market, given extended lead times. And any capacity that has become available has been sold at high prices, albeit on shorter lead times. One large producer sold July production into the US recently, while a Scandinavian mill had to redirect some supply that an auto-facing service centre postponed.

 

Source: Argusmedia