Steel Products Prices North America

April Raw Steel Production Down 4.6 Percent
Written by Brett Linton
May 29, 2014
The American Iron & Steel Institute (AISI) reported their final raw steel production numbers for the month of April 2014. 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 April was reported to be 7,891,258 net tons (NT) with 5,042,632 NT being produced by electric arc furnaces (EAF) and 2,848,626 NT produced by blast furnaces. April raw steel production was reported by the AISI to have been 4.6 percent lower than the previous month.
Total raw steel production in 2014 throughout April is now 31,740,263 NT which is 0.5 percent below that of 2013 through the same time period. The capacity utilization rate for the month of April was reported to be 76.6 percent and 77.0 percent for 2014 YTD. (Source: AISI)
Below is a chart showing the monthly production figures in a 3-month moving average.

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.