According to sources, Brazilian producers will start next week the negotiations of slab for shipments in March.
The exporters are now considering a range of $700/mt to $720/mt, FOB conditions for the basic commercial grades as the base for negotiations, against previous expectations in the $710/mt to $720/mt range, under the same conditions.
A source linked to a main exporter mentioned that a client in the US unveiled expectations around $690/mt for the coming negotiations, but this price was considered out of the current market conditions, although one deal at such price level was concluded during the last week of December.
In December, the Brazilian slab exports are expected to decline from the 551,000 mt exported in November, while so far only one small volume of imported slab has cleared customs in Brazilian ports, against no slab imports in November.