French rebar market fails to bounce in September

No change is reported for the French rebar market since it resumed activity after the August holiday break. Sales continue to be sluggish and visibility poor, Kallanish hears from market participants.

Prices remain stable compared to last month, and large buyers remain on the fence.

Scrap prices in the country are on the verge of increasing, potentially helping to keep the price of rebar and other long products stable this month. However, rebar volumes are scant, and buyers lack commitment and confidence. Last month some orders came from infrastructure projects throughout the country. The private residential construction sector’s activity remains slow.

At the market reopening, both producers and distributors have low order books even though stocks at distributors and their clients continue to be thin. Like in July before the sector shut down for holiday, construction companies continue to buy only to cover immediate needs each day and there is no visibility for the month.

One distributor says that July was “an OK month” and August sales were slow both on the domestic and on the export market. Nearby European countries such as Germany were on holiday and very slow.

Natalia Capra France