Weekly round-up: Global ferrous scrap prices remain supported

Global ferrous scrap trading maintained the uptrend for yet another week on active deals in Turkey following the rally in domestic and overseas markets. Japan’s Tokyo Steel hiked scrap prices for the second time in February this week following surge in bids by South Korea- and Vietnam-based mills. In India, meanwhile, deals in small quantities continued to happen for HMS grade material this week.

Global market highlights:

• Turkey’s imported scrap prices edge up: Turkey’s imported scrap offers inched up this week. Prices rose slightly because suppliers increased their offers for cargo shipments for the remaining period of March, while buyers refrained from placing new orders actively.

SteelMint’s assessment of US-origin HMS 1&2 (80:20) stood at $507/tonne (t) CFR Turkey, up by $3-5/t w-o-w.

• Japan’s ferrous scrap export offers hit new high: Japanese scrap export offers increased further, hitting a new all-time high since mid-2017. Prices surged owing to limited scrap availability in Japan and improved demand. The main reason behind the continued price uptrend is a decline in shredded scrap generation due to lower automobile production amidst chip shortage.

SteelMint’s assessment for Japanese H2 scrap export prices stands at JPY 58,000/t FOB levels, further up by JPY 2,000/t w-o-w.

• Kansai scrap export tender bids spurt: Japan’s Kansai-Cheorwon scrap export tender for Feb’22 was concluded recently, with the loading period ranging from 21-Feb’22 to 31-Mar’22. The winning bid was awarded a total of 5,000 t of mainly Japanese H2 scrap at an average price of JPY 58,220/t ($503/t) FAS, the second-highest bid after JPY 66,300/t ($573/t) in Jun’18. Notably, bids in Kansai rose by $20/t as against the Kanto tender concluded last week.
• Hyundai Steel further hikes bids for Japanese scrap: Hyundai Steel raised bids for Japanese scrap on 17 Feb’22 by JPY 3,500/t ($30/t) for H2 grade and by JPY 3,000/t ($26/t) for HS grade compared to the last bid on 10 Feb’22, sources informed SteelMint. Bids for H2 scrap are now at JPY 58,500/t ($507/t), while bids for HS scrap are at JPY 64,000/t ($555/t) FOB. Bids for Shindachi bara scrap and shredded material are at JPY 64,000/t ($555/t).
• Tokyo Steel hikes scrap procurement prices up to $17/t: Tokyo Steel raised scrap buy prices by up to $17/t for the second time this month on 14 Feb’22. Post-revision, the company’s bid price for H2 scrap stands at JPY 57,000/t ($494/t) delivered to the Tahara and Utsunomiya plants, effective 15 Feb’22. Surge in bids in the Kanto scrap export tender pushed up domestic offers.
  Prices in JPY
  Source: Tokyo Steel

• Vietnam’s imported scrap offers surge: South East Asia’s imported scrap market saw a sharp hike in offers brought on by the recent Kanto tender. Vietnam’s imported scrap offers increased further, following the surge in Japan’s Kanto scrap export tender. The rise in billet prices and a better finished steel demand outlook supported higher imported scrap prices.

SteelMint’s assessment for bulk Japanese H2 scrap was at $550/t CFR, up $25-30/t w-o-w.

• Bangladesh’s containerised scrap market stays active: Although containerised imported scrap demand is active, trade activities improved towards the second half of the week.  SteelMint’s daily assessment for UK-origin shredded scrap in containers was recorded at $590/t CFR Chittagong, up $5-10/t w-o-w.

On the other hand, US-origin bulk HMS (80:20) scrap was recorded at $580-585/t CFR Chittagong, up $25-30/t w-o-w. After having seen active imported bulk scrap bookings in the last two weeks from USA, the UK, and Australia, buyers have now slowed down. Market players feel buyers may have booked sufficient inventory for March shipments.

With the rise in global scrap prices, Bangladesh’s domestic rebar producers increased prices over the last few weeks.

• Pakistan’s imported scrap trade yet to pick up: The imported scrap trade in Pakistan continued to remain slow as finished steel market sentiments were sluggish. Mills are waiting for a clear direction for the next round of booking for March shipments.

SteelMint’s assessment for UK/EU-origin shredded scrap stood at $561/t CFR Port Qasim, largely stable w-o-w.

• India’s imported scrap offers pick up but trading subdued: Imported scrap offers to India have picked up again. However, trade activities are yet to see any major improvement. Imported scrap offers remained supported by the strong domestic raw material (iron ore, sponge iron), semis and finished steel prices.

SteelMint’s daily assessment of UK/EU-origin shredded scrap stood at $550-555/t CFR Nhava Sheva, unchanged w-o-w.