Steel Products Prices North America

2013 Raw Steel Production Down 2% over Last Year
Written by Brett Linton
February 4, 2014
The American Iron & Steel Institute (AISI) reported their final raw steel production numbers for the month of December 2013. This estimation is different than the weekly raw steel production as it is based on 75 percent of the domestic mills reporting vs. 50 percent for the weekly estimates.
Total raw steel production for the month of December was reported to be 7,848,433 net tons (NT) with 4,785,223 NT being produced by electric arc furnaces (EAF) and 3,063,210 NT produced by blast furnaces. December raw steel production was reported by the AISI to have been 0.3 percent higher than the previous month.
Total raw steel production for 2013 wraps up at 95,766,186 NT which is 2.0 percent below the 97,769,374 tons produced in 2012. The capacity utilization rate for the month of December was reported to be 74.0 percent and 76.7 percent for 2013 YTD.
Below is a chart showing the monthly production figures in a 3-month moving average over the last 3 years. (Source: AISI)

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

SMU price ranges: Flat-rolled balloon continues to leak
Sheet and plate prices were flat or lower again this week on continued concerns about demand and higher production rates among US mills.

HRC vs. busheling spread narrows in August
The price spread between prime scrap and hot-rolled coil (HRC) narrowed in August, according to SMU’s most recent pricing data.

SMU Price Ranges: Market drifts lower still
All five of SMU's steel sheet and plate price indices declined this week, falling to lows last seen in February.

Discontentment brews in plate market with flat, status-quo pricing
Sources in the carbon and alloy steel plate market said they are less discouraged by market uncertainty resulting from tariffs or foreign relations, but are instead, eager to see disruption to the flat pricing environment.

Nucor lowers HR coil spot price by $15/ton
Nucor has implemented a double-digit price decrease on spot hot-rolled (HR) coil for the second consecutive week.