Polish long steel market stagnant amid seasonal slowdown
Polish domestic long steel prices showed mixed trends in the week to Friday July 24, with rebar prices adjusting downward while wire rod levels remained stable amid weak demand, low buying appetite and subdued trading activity.
“The market is stagnant; it’s the holiday season,” a distributor source told Fastmarkets.
Buyers largely maintained a wait-and-see approach, while liquidity remained thin and transactions were limited.
In the rebar segment, workable levels were reported at 2,650-2,700 zloty ($697-710) per tonne CPT.
Fastmarkets’ weekly price assessment for steel reinforcing bar (rebar), domestic, cpt Poland, narrowed downward to 2,650-2,700 zloty per tonne on Friday, from 2,680-2,800 zloty per tonne a week earlier.
Wire rod trading activity remained limited during the assessment week. Market participants reported tradable levels at 3,000-3,100 zloty per tonne delivered, with offers heard at those levels.
Fastmarkets’ weekly price assessment for steel wire rod (drawing quality), domestic, delivered Poland, remained unchanged at 3,000-3,100 zloty per tonne on Friday.
German sections buyers facing price hike efforts
Buyers of steel sections have heard of price hike efforts in Germany and adjacent markets, but do not anticipate a big change going forward.
Sections prices are little changed so far this summer, and for most weeks have scarcely been seen much higher than €820/tonne ($933/t) for category 1, delivered. Last week, ArcelorMittal was reportedly heard striving for an increase of €25/t across Europe. First heard in Italy and France, the attempt is confirmed from Germany, with figure of plus €30/t, Kallanish learns from one source.
One northern manager believes that such an announcement should easily be echoed by the domestic German producers, to which ArcelorMittal does not count, although its Luxembourg mill is an important player. “If a filling station downtown lifts its petrol prices, the ones nearer the motorway won’t hesitate long,” he says.
He adds that he would not have bought at the price levels of €820-830/t which have has prevailed for a while. He points out that prices achieved from consumers downstream are too low to make replacement purchase from mills at current prices, and still be profitable. That puts the effectiveness of higher mill prices in question.
The weakness on the selling side is confirmed by a buyer at a larger distribution group. They note that cheap offers by distributors are mostly made from inventories bought before the price peaked above €830/t in May.
“You really have to draw a line here. New material cannot be sold with a reasonable profit, but many distributors are willing to make low offers from stock material, to keep the cash flow going.”
On the price hike announcement, they see little chance for €25-30/t but do not rule out that €10-15/t could be achieved, “And that would at least be a small step towards stabilisation,” they conclude.
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The SteelOrbis Fall 2026 Conference & 95th IREPAS Meeting will bring together leading representatives of the global long steel industry in Belgrade on September 27-29, 2026.
SteelOrbis and IREPAS will hold their second gathering of 2026 at the Metropol Palace Belgrade. In addition to providing valuable insights into the latest developments in the markets, the conference will offer participants the opportunity to establish new international business connections and strengthen existing relationships.
The conference will feature discussions on the outlook for the long steel market, the role of HBI in the raw materials market, developments in the Balkans and Eastern Europe, compliance and implementation processes under the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), the impact of geopolitical shifts on steel markets, and the outlook for global freight markets.
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- Velina Tchakarova, Geopolitical Strategist and Founder, FACE For A Conscious Experience
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The event will bring together professionals from across the steel value chain, including steel producers, raw material suppliers, trading companies, end-users, logistics and finance companies, as well as plant, equipment, technology, and machinery companies.
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More information about IREPAS
IREPAS was started almost 43 years ago as the result of a meeting with Celsa and Gerdau. Ricardo Hugas created IREPAS to develop understanding between producers, traders, and consumers of rebar around the world. Today, IREPAS unites producers, traders, and professionals from the shipping and finance industries. IREPAS meets every six months in different locations worldwide, helping all members gain access to useful information about the markets around the globe, meet new parties to create business opportunities, and create a better atmosphere for fair business. www.irepas.com
Ferrexpo reports logistical disruption after drone strike on cargo vessel
Swiss-headquartered iron ore pellet producer Ferrexpo said a vessel carrying its premium product was struck by drones while sailing in Ukrainian waters of the Black Sea, and that it is seeking at least $100 million in financing, although it has sufficient net accessible cash to operate until the end of August, according to a July 28 statement.
Ferrexpo said the vessel carrying 55,000 metric tons of its direct-reduction-grade pellets remained afloat, although its structural integrity is unknown.
The London-listed company currently has about 189,000 mt of pellets designated for shipment, including 90,000 mt of DR-grade material in stockpiles, representing about $20 million in production and delivery costs, according to the statement.
“As a result of ongoing drone and missile attacks in and around the port, as well as on loaded vessels departing Ukrainian ports, the group does not expect to be able to load additional vessels via this export route for the foreseeable future, given [that] shipowners have provided advance notice of cancellation of their vessel fixtures,” Ferrexpo said.
When contacted by Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, on July 28, Ferrexpo said that it had not disclosed the timing of the incident for security reasons.
The company had planned to increase DR-grade pellet sales via Black Sea ports in the second half of 2026 as part of its strategy to optimize its product mix toward higher-quality material, according to the statement.
Ferrexpo said its board is evaluating operational and financial scenarios to mitigate the impacts, while working with advisers to launch an equity capital raise of at least $100 million.
The company’s liquidity forecast remains subject to volatility in iron ore pricing, operating expenses, including energy costs, and other factors, according to the statement.
Ferrexpo said it has notified insurers and is working to advance claims related to the incident.
Author: Annalisa Villa
Türkiye’s HRC exports fall 15.4% in the first five months
