Stainless steel purchase tonnages have failed to pick up, in early 2015, in the major consuming markets. Although there was a burst of activity in the first half of January, this appears to have been the result of short-lived stock replenishment measures, which have now subsided, said MEPS International in a snippet.

Despite pressure from the lower-priced imports, spot HRC prices in Southern Europe remained fairly stable, with TSI’s benchmark index €1 a ton lower from 1-week ago to finish at €404 a ton.