Steel Products Prices North America

Apparent Steel Supply Higher as Domestic Shipments Improve
Written by Brett Linton
September 8, 2013
Apparent steel supply for July was up slightly compared to the same month one year ago by 1.53 percent. This is due to a 4.60 percent increase in domestic shipments, which was offset by a decrease in both total steel imports and finished steel imports, down 9.24 percent and 9.92 percent respectively. The net trade from imports versus steel exports was a surplus of 1,433,000 net tons of imports in July of this year, a decrease of 15.33 percent from one year prior.
When compared to June 2013 when apparent steel supply was at 8,727,670 NT, July supply is moderately higher by 476,980 NT or 5.46 percent. Domestic shipments showed a nice improvement in July by 468,190 NT or 6.00 percent over June. The net amount of trade from imports and exports was down 37,650 NT in July over June, a 2.68 percent increase.

Brett Linton
Read more from Brett LintonLatest in Steel Products Prices North America

Thin demand keeps plate prices hovering at lowest levels since February
Participants in the domestic plate market say spot prices appear to have hit the floor, and they continue to linger there. They say demand for steel remains thin, with plate products no exception.

SMU Price Ranges: HR crawls back to $800/ton
SMU’s HR price stands at $800/st on average, up $5/st from last week. The modest gain came as the low end of our range firmed, and despite the high end of our range declining slightly.

SMU successfully completes IOSCO review
SMU has successfully completed an external review of all our prices. The review has concluded that they algin with principles set by the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO).

Domestic plate prices could heat up despite so-so demand, market sources say
Some sources also speculated that plate could see further price increases thanks to modest but steady demand, lower imports, mill maintenance outages, and end markets less immediately affected by tariff-related disruptions.

SMU Price Ranges: HR holds, galv slips amid competing market narratives
SMU’s sheet and plate prices see-sawed this week as hot-rolled (HR) coil prices held their ground while prices for galvanized product slipped.