Polish domestic rebar prices were rising in the week to Friday October 16, pushed by growing production costs and lower availability due to exports to Ukraine, sources told Fastmarkets.
One market source reported indications from local suppliers within the range of €630-640 ($706-718) per tonne CPT, which is equivalent to 2,773-2,780 zloty per tonne.
A seller source, meanwhile, reported tradeable levels to vary within 2,800-2,850 zloty per tonne CPT.
A buyer source reported that offers this week were coming at 2,800 zloty per tonne CPT with offer validity until October 16 and new offers coming at 2,850-2,900 zloty per tonne CPT, while 2,800 zloty per tonne CPT became the new minimum tradeable level.
In such conditions, Fastmarkets’ weekly price assessment for steel reinforcing bar (rebar), domestic, CPT Poland rose to 2,773-2,850 zloty per tonne, from 2,750-2,780 zloty per tonne the previous week.
“Polish producers are facing the lack of billet and growing energy and labor costs,” one source said.
Another market source reported reduced availability of rebar in the Polish domestic market amid increased exports to Ukraine following Russian attacks on Ukrainian steel mills in August and September this year, causing critical damage to infrastructure.
“Ukrainian traders booked big volumes of rebar in Turkey and Egypt, but ships cannot reach Ukrainian ports now. In such conditions Poland is becoming the most important supplier,” he said.
A source in Ukraine reported Polish rebar being offered at $850 (€757) per tonne CPT in the country.
