Long steel prices in France have remained stable over the past week. At the start of July, there was a modest €10/tonne uptick in values due to a rebound in apparent demand and technical restocking ahead of the August holiday break. The average transaction value for domestic rebar remains unchanged at €625-630/t delivered. Merchant bar prices have also remained stable this week, following a slight increase in deal prices compared to last month. Currently, prices are averaging around €670/t delivered.

Sections are experiencing a resurgence in apparent demand, leading to a boost in prices. Values have increased by approximately €20/t since the start of June, with the estimated range for the first category of sections at approximately €760-770/t delivered. Construction volumes remain low, with no indication of improvement. During the first quarter, there was a 4.6% year-on-year decline in production within the construction sector.

There was a 7% year-on-year decline in new housing starts over the three-month period ending in May, while new building permits experienced an 11.4% decrease.