TAIWAN September 30 2014 10:15 AM
TAIPEI (Scrap Register): The prices for containerized Taiwanese imports of HMS #1&2 80:20 continued to drop sharply by $16 a ton last week to finish at $322 a ton (CFR Taiwan port), as per The Steel Index.
According to TSI, re-rolling Chinese billet is currently providing better margins for domestic mills when compared to production using scrap, meaning steel producers have almost completely deserted the scrap market for the time being.
The huge drop in the price for scrap has created a standstill between mills and suppliers, with mills happy to bide their time and wait to see how the market develops before committing to further purchases.