“Stocks are low,” one source said about inventories for the flat rolled product held by both stockists and end-users. Mills are currently offering €590-600 ($690-700) per metric tonne EXW for production and delivery in autumn, up from the €540-550 ($630-640) sought in the last week of August. Another source stated that steelmakers are unlikely to give much leeway against that offer, especially after a summer of lower prices. According to data from Trading Economics, benchmark 62% Fe iron ore was $104.93 per metric tonne CFR Tianjin, up over 12% from its July 1 low of $93.41. In mid-August, Indonesian mills were seeking less than €500 ($585) per metric tonne CFR European ports, though a projected delivery time of later than 2026 stifled interest in it.