French stainless producer Aperam has decreased May alloy surcharges for its austenitic range of flat stainless steels for Europe by €50/tonne ($60) on average compared to last month, Kallanish learns from the company.
The surcharge for grade 304 (1.4301) has gone down from €1,822/t in April to €1,777/t effective from 1 May. For grade 316 it has gone from €2,607/t in April to €2,520/t in May. Grade 309S, a heat-resistant stainless steel used in high-temperature applications, has decreased from €2,452/t in April to €2,388/t next month. The surcharge for the most popular ferritic grade, 409, has risen slightly however from €690/t to €698/t, the company reveals.
Nickel prices for cash buyers have been see-sawing in recent months. Offers for cash buyers were at $16,526/t on 23 March and reached $16,150/t on 23 April, Kallanish notes.
Natalia Capra France
