Santa’s Icy Pause in European Bitumen Markets

Summary

Christmas, New Year’s holidays, and cold weather were the main reasons for descending construction activities. As a result, cross-border truck prices through Europe remained steady.

Holiday Dip in the UK Market

Bitumen demand is sinking continuously due to the holiday period. Domestic UK truck prices stayed unchanged at 563-582 $ after downward monthly revisions for December supplies versus November values.

Stable Prices Across France

Domestic truck prices in France were stable at 534-550 $ in the northern and central regions and 509-526 $ in the south. NordBit (Hamburg bitumen supply and trading firm) will complete the northeast French Dunkirk bitumen terminal in less than two weeks. NordBit has been operating the 11,000-12,000t capacity terminal since 2019.

German Demand Slows Among Holidays
German bitumen demand has started to slow as the holiday period draws in. Market participants pointed out that truck prices remained unchanged across the country. They also said that some January infrastructure projects were planned to make a start in 2025. Still, most demand is expected to be postponed as the country will hold elections in February.

Reviewing Poland, Czech Republic, and Ukraine’s Prices

The Polish and Czech domestic markets continued to fall due to colder weather, which paused projects, while truck prices remained unchanged. Truck prices for imported bitumen in Ukraine remained steady. At the same time, market activity decreased in the winter period, usually lasting until the end of February or the beginning of March. 

Cold and Romanian Bitumen Activity

Cold weather and the holiday season stopped construction activity. These factors harshly removed bitumen trucks across Romanian Black Sea terminals. Romanian prices for trucked bitumen were stable at 482-497 $.

Charts

Bitumen Price In Europe (Updated on December 30, 2024)

Get expert guidance for your bitumen purchases, contact our team today, and confidently make informed decisions for 2025.