Italian re-rollers are cutting back their discounts and planning to halt sales in response to recent price hike announcements from European hot-rolled coil (HRC) producers. Tube discounts in Italy are starting to decline, with one re-roller unwilling to go below 45 points, although 47 points are still available in the market. Industry sources agree that HRC, tubes, and sheets will see significant price increases in the near future.

Europe is anticipated to strengthen its defenses by granting recent safeguard review requests from Eurofer following the US tariff announcement. Ports will be filled with material starting on April 1, as some re-rollers and service centers confirm they will continue to leave material in consignment at the port to avoid paying duties. With fewer coils available in Europe, prices are expected to rise, and businesses should be prepared to handle their supply chains differently to adjust to increased pricing and decreased volumes.

Prices for European HRC are predicted to rise to €650 per tonne base delivered in the upcoming weeks. Tube discounts are set to drop to 40 points in the coming weeks due to the high cost of coils and related processing expenses. Despite the anticipated price rises for all flat products, projections indicate that demand and consumption will likely remain constrained, resulting in subdued volumes for the year.