Steel Products Prices North America
February Import Forecast (week 2)
Written by John Packard
February 18, 2014
As we mentioned last week, Steel Market Update will provide our members weekly steel import forecasts based on license data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce (beginning with the second week of the month). We advise our members to spend a few minutes and read David Phelps article about the import license data and why the numbers can only be used as an indicator and not a final path toward the totals for any particular month.
This is the second week where we are forecasting February numbers and, as you can see by the semi-finished numbers (billets & slabs but almost all slabs), there can be huge variances from week to week.
To put the numbers into perspective you can review what our forecasts called for during the month of January on a week by week basis and as of February 18th. The January numbers are still based on license data. Next week we should receive the Preliminary Census Data numbers and then we get the Final Census Numbers to close out the month.
In the next table we are providing information regarding the 12 month moving average (12MMA) and 3 month moving average (3MMA) by product, the December Final Census Data, January License Data and our 2nd Forecast number for February.
John Packard
Read more from John PackardLatest in Steel Products Prices North America
Market says cutting interest rates will spur stalled domestic plate demand
Market sources say demand for domestic plate refuses to budge despite stagnating prices.
SMU Price Ranges: Some predict bottom is near as big discounts dry up
Sheet prices were mixed this week as some mills continued to offer significant discounts to larger buyers while others have shifted toward being more disciplined, market participants said.
SMU Price Ranges: Tags mixed as uncertainty weighs on market
SMU’s hot-rolled (HR) coil price held steady this week while prices for other sheet and plate products declined.
Nucor spot HR list price unchanged at $875/ton
Nucor kept its weekly list price for hot-rolled (HR) coil unchanged this week, following a price bump of $10 per short ton (st) last week.
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.