Steel Products Prices North America

Zinc and Aluminum Price Update
Written by Brett Linton
March 10, 2014
Zinc and aluminum prices are something to keep an eye on when you’re involved with coated products such as galvanized or Galvalume steels. At current zinc price levels, the amount of zinc needed to coat 0.060″ thick G90 coil costs approximately $1.98 per cwt (based on zinc calculation shared with SMU from a domestic coating mill – costs can vary depending on the over coat as well as procurement costs). Compare this to zinc prices six months ago, when prices were around $0.8300 per lb, and the zinc cost for the mills would have been $1.78 per cwt. That’s a different of $0.20 per cwt or $4.00 per ton in just the zinc cost to the mills.
Over the past week, Zinc prices dropped from $0.9781 per lb (the highest levels since February 2013) to $0.9200 per lb as of 3:30 PM Tuesday. This one week change is $0.0581 per lb or a 5.9 percent. Prices today are now comparable to what we were averaging in the second week of February 2014.
However, zinc prices are still above what we were seeing in most of 2013.
Aluminum prices are currently at $0.7707 per lb, down 2.6 percent from a high of $0.7911 per lb last Tuesday.
Aluminum prices over the past few weeks are at a 4+ year low and have been on a consecutive decline since December early 2013. (Source: Kitco.com)

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.