Slow sales plague Italian longs market

Slow sales and an uneventful market are clouding Italian long products sales in April. While this is a seasonally slower month due to the Easter and 25 April bank holidays, the market seems to have stopped absorbing price increases.

Demand is said to be slow for rebar, merchant bar and wire rod. Sources who spoke to Kallanish however say that March was a record month for sales and, despite April being much slower, March-April sales combined have increased compared to the same period in 2021. Some distributors also say their sales are much slower and no new orders are coming in.

For the moment, merchant bar prices remain at €800-850/tonne ($872-927/t) base ex-works, mostly stable compared to the previous week. Including size extras, domestic contracts are hovering at €1,220-1,270/t ex-works.

Meanwhile, a stable market is reported for sections, for which values also remain flat. The first category of sections remains at €1,500-1,540/t ex-works, including size extras. Limited availability continues to persist for both merchant bar and beams.

Natalia Capra France