Trading activity in the European domestic hot-rolled coil market remained limited on Monday December 15 as neither buyers nor sellers felt compelled to transact.
Customers booked sufficient quantities of material scheduled for delivery in January, while mills’ order books were also adequately filled.
At the same time, the market continues to digest the European Commission’s newly accepted benchmarks and default emission values under the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which will come into force on January 1, 2026.
“There seems to be more people convinced that prices could really surge once the excess stock that has been brought in pre-CBAM is digested,” a buyer source said.
So far, however, prices in both the Northern and Southern regions have been stable.
In the North, mills’ offers from key suppliers varied within the range of €630-650 ($740-763) per tonne ex-works, while estimates of workable prices varied within the wide range of €610-630 per tonne ex-works, depending on tonnage. However, customers have shown no interest in large tonnages now.
Fastmarkets’ daily steel hot-rolled coil index domestic, exw Northern Europe was €621.67 per tonne on Monday, stable since Friday December 12.
The index was down by €0.58 per tonne week on week but up by €8.75 per tonne month on month.
In Italy, offers varied within the range of €610-640 per tonne ex-works, while workable levels were estimated at €600-620 per tonne ex-works.
Fastmarkets’ daily steel hot-rolled coil index domestic, exw Italy was calculated at €611.67 per tonne on Monday, up by €0.42 from Friday.
The index was up by €0.42 per tonne week on week and up by €10.42 per tonne month on month.
