The supply-driven balance in the scrap market remains intact ahead of the holiday period

As the market enters the holiday season, year-end transactions on the buyer side have largely been completed, while sub-suppliers are shifting their focus toward January shipments. Recent sales of US- and Europe-origin material have helped maintain the market balance in deep-sea scrap prices at $360/t and above. In this environment, physical availability continues to play a more decisive role than weak demand signals. Should seasonal tightness in scrap supply persist and weather-related disruptions intensify, the likelihood of a price re-adjustment in January is strengthening.

Overall expectations point to the scrap market entering January with a constructive bias. However, a relatively subdued trend is anticipated in the first half of the year, followed by a gradual recovery in the second half. Within this framework, the possibility that US sellers may struggle to hold at $370/t levels and be forced to retreat is being closely monitored by the market.

According to the latest imported scrap deals concluded:

• HMS 80:20 scrap from Europe to the Mediterranean region was heard at $361/t CFR Türkiye.,

• HMS 90:10 scrap from the US to the Aegean region was concluded at $370.5/t CFR Türkiye., while HMS 80:20 scrap from the US was reported at $366–367/t CFR Türkiye.