The export market for flat steel products from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) remains weak because of low demand ahead of the end of the year, with buyers fearing further price falls early in 2019.
Fastmarkets MB's weekly price assessment for CIS-origin HRC exports was $450-470 per tonne fob Black Sea on Monday December 17, down from $460-475 per tonne fob a week ago."Suppliers [of HRC from Russia] are trying to fulfill order books well ahead by offering March shipment cargoes despite having tonnages for February shipment. But we are not ready to purchase HRC with such long shipment terms because the market is rather weak and the price may fall a...