The French rebar market is becoming quiet this week as mills and distributors have filled their order books for the year and expect to sell more at increased prices in January after the holiday break.

Rebar prices increased again in December and are now reaching €300/tonne delivered ($365/t) from €260/t base delivered as of 10 days ago.

This is due to the steep increases in scrap prices occurring across Europe, market participants tell Kallanish. Scrap prices in France and the Benelux area have skyrocketed by €40-50/t month-on-month in December. This is pushing all long product values. Including €270/t size extras, effective delivered rebar values from distributors are now at €570/t on average delivered, sources say. This is the level for new contracts.

Italian and Spanish producers are not quoting for export to France at the moment.  Because of the current steep increases, the market is considered difficult at the moment with fewer sales, Kallanish hears.