Italian plates are seen stable

Italian plates are seen only slightly declining in September and remaining mostly stable compared to July-August. As margins are not very high, sources believe there is little space for further declines as domestic prices had already slightly reduced in July before the August market shut down, distributors tell Kallanish.

This week the sector is still quiet due to the August holiday. Considering the current raw material price decline and the uncertainty surrounding imported slabs, buyers are not expected to make any purchases this or next week. “We will wait and see what happens. If there is a price reduction it should not be higher than €5/t ($5.5/t) and it will happen in the second week of September”, a large distributor comments.

275 quality is stable month-on-month at €515-520/t delivered while 355 is at €535-540/t delivered. There is more demand for the higher 355 quality and producers are beginning to ask €25/t more compared to the 275 grade. In Italy 355 has typically been €20/t more expensive than 275, Kallanish notes.