Steel Products Prices North America

Final March Import Projection is for 3.484 Million Tons
Written by John Packard
April 1, 2014
Steel Market Update has been projecting 3.5 million tons of total steel products as the target number for the month of March based on US DOC license data. The license numbers were updated again today (April 1st) and we continue to believe we will be quite close to the 3.5 million ton mark when the final census numbers are released.
Below is our analysis of semi-finished, OCTG, hot rolled, coiled plate, cold rolled, galvanized, Galvalume and cut plate.
The second table (shown below) shows the 12 month moving average (12MMA) as well as the 3 month moving average along with January and February import numbers. This will provide a good point of reference as you look at each item independently from the totals.

John Packard
Read more from John PackardLatest 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.