The price increases were taking into account
costlier bulk freight rates in addition to the potential export tax rebate cut in China, market participants said. The potential reduction of the rebate to 9% from the current 13%, has been on steelmakers' radar since late January.
Fastmarkets’ price assessment for
steel plate import, cfr main ports South America was at $750-775 per tonne on Friday, up by 2.35% from $735-755 per tonne a week earlier.
At the beginning of the week, Chinese offers to the region's Pacific coast were put at $750-755 per tonne, with at least one trader able to sell at...
