SHANGHAI — Chinese steel plate export prices rose another $10 per tonne this week as producers raised tags in response to a firm domestic market.
Commercial-grade, boron-containing plate was changing hands in China at $550 to $555 per tonne f.o.b. for March shipment, up from $540 to $545 per tonne the previous week, while export offers have risen to $560 to $565 per tonne for March shipment from $550 to $555 per tonne in the same comparison.
"There’s been a further rise in export offers and prices, although trading volumes remain small," an export manager at Tianjin Steel Co. Ltd. said.
The ex-works increases by some plate produces was a major factor in pushing up export offers and prices, he added.
Another producer in east China confirmed the export price increase. "There have been transactions at the updated prices for contracts with small tonnages. But it is not workable to export large volumes of plate for now," the steelmaker’s export manager said.
He was cautiously optimistic in his market outlook but stressed that trading volumes needed to improve to support further price rises.
A version of this article was first published by AMM sister publication Steel First.