Germany

摘要

The seasonal lull in what had already been a dull construction market had reduced December rebar orders to a trickle. This knocked back prices at first but reordering for the New Year at last picked up shortly before Christmas at prices around 255/t (226/t dollars) after slipping to DM490/t (251/t, 224/t dollars at the time). This limited revival is of little consequence to German mills, as the local rebar market is served mainly by imports.More troublesome for local steelmakers has been the continued weakness in the wire rod market, in which they do have substantial interest. Prices for mesh grades are a full 10-15/t (9-13/t dollars) below rebar prices, and even the price of drawing qualities is barely in line with the rebar price. Mills blame cheap imports rather than slack demand-which is low-but mulls reckon that it has not deteriorated. Lower production-output in 2001-did not tighten the market sufficiently. Increased exports have not helped. they have only provoked US rod producers to cite German rod mills (among others) in their latest anti-dumping petition.