[SMM steel] Indian steel billet market strengthens, imported steel scrap transactions remain sluggish
[India] As market sentiment strengthened, indicative export prices for Indian steel billet rose to $460/mt FOB India. Indicative prices for US/EU-origin shredded scrap were $420–422/mt CFR Qasim, UAE-origin HMS was $413–415/mt CFR Qasim, and Indian HMS was around $360/mt CFR India. However, scrap prices in the Indian market remain at indicative levels only, with no confirmed deals yet. The strengthening trend also extended to India’s domestic billet market, with prices rising in 16 of the 19 assessed regions, and the overall price range was $406–458/mt (INR 38,800–43,800/mt). Mumbai saw the largest increase, up $12/mt (INR 1,100/mt) to $448/mt (INR 42,800/mt); billet prices in Mandi Gobindgarh, Raipur, Chennai, and Durgapur were $444/mt (INR 42,400/mt), $414/mt (INR 39,600/mt), $458/mt (INR 43,800/mt), and $422/mt (INR 40,300/mt), respectively. India’s domestic HRC prices remained unchanged.