Steel Products Prices North America
Global Steel Production and Capacity Utilization, March 2014
Written by Peter Wright
April 22, 2014
Production in March was at an all-time high of 141.3 million tonnes and increase of 15.4 million tonnes from February. This jump has become normal for the month of March which for the last three years was the highest month of the year. The three month moving average (3MMA) of production was at an annual rate of 1.616 billion tonnes with a capacity utilization of 77.8, also a 3MMA, (Figure 1).
Capacity is now 2.076 billion tonnes. Table 1 shows regional production in March with regional share of the global total, also three months production through March and YTD production(which is the same thing this month.) In the three months through March y/y growth was 2.2 percent. All regions except the CIS and South America had positive y/y growth in the three months through March with the European Union continuing to lead the way. The growth of China’s steel output has slowed for each of the last five months on a 3MMA basis and in March was 1.9 percent, down from 12.4 percent in March last year. It is still too soon to tell if the growth of China’s production really is being reigned in but the signs are encouraging. North America and China produced 7.3 percent and 49.7 percent of the global total in March, respectively, which was the exact same as February. Source World Steel Association.
Peter Wright
Read more from Peter WrightLatest in Steel Products Prices North America
BREAKING NEWS: NLMK USA up $50/ton on HR and CR, up $100/ton on coated
NLMK USA plans to increase prices for hot-rolled and cold-rolled coil by at least $50 per short ton (st). The move is effective immediately for all spot orders, the steelmaker said in a letter to customers on Friday.
SMU Price Ranges: Sheet floor holds as market debates upside
Our average HR coil price increased $5/short ton from last week, marking a second consecutive week of modest gains. Market participants generally attributed the increase to...
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).