Steel Products

2012 Pricing in Review
Written by John Packard
January 2, 2013
Hot rolled coil average $655 per ton according to Steel Market Update (SMU) monthly average price assessments. SMU was $1 off the CRU ($656 per ton) monthly settlements against the CME HRC contract once all the numbers had been crunched. For those who are unaware, SMU publishes our indices on Tuesdays prior to the CRU assessments which are published on Wednesday mornings.
Cold rolled averaged $759 per ton for calendar year 2012 after averaging $838 per ton at the end of January with the low point being $713 per ton achieved during the month of June.
Galvanized averaged $818 per ton for .060” G90 with $60 per ton of extras built into the price during the entire calendar year. This means galvanized averaged $37.90/cwt base price + $3.00/cwt in coating extras during the calendar year. The peak was at the end of January when GI averaged $897 per ton ($41.85/cwt base price + extras) while the low was at the end of June and July when prices averaged $780 per ton ($36.00/cwt base + extras).
Galvalume averaged $1,055 per ton.

John Packard
Read more from John PackardLatest in Steel Products

Market says cutting interest rates will spur stalled domestic plate demand
Market sources say demand for domestic plate refuses to budge despite stagnating prices.

U.S. Steel to halt slab conversion at Granite City Works
U.S. Steel said it plans to reduce slab consumption at its Granite City Works near St. Louis, a company spokesperson said on Monday. The Pittsburgh-based steelmaker will shift the production and processing of steel slabs to its Mon Valley Works near Pittsburgh and its Gary Works near Chicago. Citing a United Steelworkers (USW) union memo, […]

SMU Week in Review: September 1-5
Here are highlights of what’s happened this past week and a few upcoming things to keep an eye on.

HR Futures: Market finds footing on supply-side mechanics
As Labor Day marks the transition into fall, the steel market enters September with a similar sense of change. Supply-side fundamentals are beginning to show signs of restraint: imports are limited, outages loom, and production is capped, setting the stage for a market that feels steady on the surface but still unsettled underneath.

Beige Book: US markets remain cautious amidst volatile pricing environment
Sluggish economic activity across the US was largely attributed to uncertainty caused by tariff policies and growing cost pressures, according to the US Federal Reserve’s (The Fed) latest Beige Book report. The Fed’s latest economic report, posted on Sept. 3, consists of economic findings from the six weeks preceding Aug. 25 throughout 12 districts. Economic […]