Steel prices are expected to remain stable in the Brazilian domestic market through the remainder of 2019 despite a still favorable import parity, the commercial director for Companhia Sider??rgica Nacional (CSN), Luis Martinez, said on Thursday October 24.
While hot-rolled (HRC) and cold-rolled coils (CRC) are currently being sold at a 2% premium over internalized imports, galvanized materials are up to 11% more expensive than their foreign counterparts, the executive calculated.Brazilian steelmakers usually aim for a premium of around 10% over imports, taking into account delivery is usually faster, there is quality assurance, and factoring in the service they provide to customers."Our strategy is to keep prices unchanged until the end of 2019, despite still having some room for improvement," Martinez told analysts and investors in the company's third-quarter conference call. "But I believe prices have...