Local steel plate prices widened upward in Italy on latest deals for delivery in 2026 and remained stable in Northern Europe on limited market activity, sources told Fastmarkets in the week to Thursday November 5.
Italy
In Italy, latest deals for delivery in the last quarter of 2026 were reported within €740-760 ($831-854) per tonne ex-works by a local producer, who said its sales from December production were mostly closed.
It also reported booking plate for January delivery in 2027 at €780-820 per tonne ex-works, but this range was discarded from the assessment as it was linked to project orders.
The same producer said it heard other competitors selling plate at lower prices within €730-740 per tonne ex-works, but only for sizeable orders in Italy and other markets.
The lower end of the range at €730 per tonne ex-works was not considered in the final assessment due to a lack of details about the volume of the orders and a lack of corroboration among other sources.
Other market participants reported indications of tradeable levels within €740-750 per tonne ex-works for December delivery and said mills were targeting offers at €780 per tonne ex-works for January delivery. However, this level had not yet been achieved.
“Italian plate prices remain stable, with purchasing activity continuing at a steady pace. Market participants expect buying activity to remain at current levels in the coming weeks,” a trade source said during the week.
As a result, Fastmarkets’ weekly price assessment for steel domestic plate 8-40mm, exw Southern Europe was €740-760 per tonne on Thursday November 5, widened upward by €10 per tonne from €740-750 per tonne a week earlier.
On the plate import side, an offer was reported at €820 per tonne DDP Spain, but it was discarded from the CFR-based assessment, while there was also a lack of details about the origin and grade specifications.
Fastmarkets’ weekly price assessment for steel plate (8-40mm), import, cfr main port Southern Europe was stable at €710-750 per tonne on Thursday.
Meanwhile, a trade source said during the week that Russian steel slab deliveries to Italy were complicated due to the disruptions of shipments through the Black Sea, limiting the imports of slab more than 250 mm thick, which is used in the production of thick steel plate.
The Russian slab import quota reopened in October but was little changed by November 6, Fastmarkets reported on Friday.
Fastmarkets’ weekly price assessment for steel slab, import, cif Italy, was $580-600 per tonne on Thursday November 5, widened upward by $10 per tonne from $580-590 per tonne a week earlier.
Northern Europe
In Northern Europe, market activity was very slow, as most German mills were reportedly already fully booked for 2026 due to strong demand coming from pipe projects, sources said.
One trade source said that a local producer did not have much room to produce plates for the ordinary market due to the big orders for the pipe projects.
The same source reported an indication of workable levels within €840-880 per tonne ex-works, unchanged from indications reported a week earlier.
They added that mills were seeking increases of €30-40 per tonne for deliveries in the first quarter of 2027 but could not confirm the final figures.
For this reason, Fastmarkets’ latest weekly price assessment for steel domestic plate 8-40mm, exw Northern Europe remained stable at €840-880 per tonne on November 5.
No fresh information was heard regarding plate imports into the region, as sources were quoting high risks related to the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) costs.
Fastmarkets’ weekly price assessment for steel plate (8-40mm), import, cfr main port Northern Europe was €710-750 per tonne on Thursday, unchanged from the previous week.
