CIS billet and debar export demand still gloomy

November 3 MetalBiz--International billet and debar demand is still gloomy (except China) presently. CIS exporters try to gain export orders and maintain price stable.

Due to the large orders in previous times, increasing inventory as well as little eagerness of buyers to place orders, debar import demand slowed down apparently in North-Africa and Persian Gulf. It is learned that the purchase in Libya and Algerine decreased significantly from previous times, while the debar demand in Vietnam and S.Korea was also stagnant. At the same time, CIS domestic construction began to welcome the seasonal off-period. In order to ensure produce smoothly, CIS producers try to export debar and maintain price stable. It is understood that the latest settled price of CIS debar was U.S. $440-455 per ton (FOB), slightly higher than that last week. Turkey debar export price dropped to U.S.$450-460 per ton (FOB) for November, international long products demand did not present any signals for reviving and billet demand was also weak. Although CIS billet manufacturers kept the recent price stable, the billet offer still maintained more than U.S. $390 per ton for November and the settled price with China stood at U.S. $380-390 per ton (FOB). In the past six month, China' s purchase was very active in CIS billet, but due to the great price fluctuations of China' s domestic market, buyers' orders slowed down.

Market participants forecasted that CIS billet and debar export market will be calm before the end of year.