French stainless producer Aperam has slightly decreased its April alloy surcharges for its austenitic range of flat stainless steels for Europe by over €20/tonne ($23) compared to last month, Kallanish learns from the company.
The surcharge for grade 304 (1.4301) has gone down from €1,846/t in March to €1,822/t effective 1 April. For grade 316 it has gone from €2,629/t this month to €2,607/t for April. Grade 309S, a heat-resistant stainless steel used in high-temperature applications, has decreased from €2,511/t in March to €2,452/t next month. The surcharge for the most popular ferritic grade, 409, has risen however from €635/t this month to €690/t from 1 April, the company reveals.
Nickel prices for cash buyers have steadily decreased in recent months. Offers for cash buyers were at $19,352/t as of 24 February and reached $16,526/t on 23 March, Kallanish notes.
Natalia Capra France
