Steel Products Prices North America
Flat Rolled Steel Imports Up 62% in 2Q 2014
Written by Peter Wright
August 9, 2014
Total shipments of sheet and strip products including hot rolled, cold rolled and all coated products were down by 0.6 percent year to date (YTD) compared to the first half of 2013. In the second quarter of 2014 compared to the first quarter, the total tonnage was down by 0.7 percent and comparing Q2 2014 with Q2 2013 tonnage was down by 0.6 percent. Comparing YTD shipments for 2014 and 2013 for individual products, hot band was up by 1.6 percent and HDG by 1.4 percent. Cold rolled was down by 2.5 percent, electro-galvanized by 13 percent and other metallic coated, (mainly Galvalume) by 23.9 percent, (Table 1). In the 2nd quarter total sheet product imports were up by 62 percent year over year which has clearly absorbed all of the market’s strength and then some.
The effect of imports can be seen by comparing, Figure 1 which describes mill shipments over six years for hot rolled, cold rolled and HDG with Figure 2 which shows total supply to the market of the same products.
Following the post-recession recovery, shipments of hot rolled have been trending in a range for three years. Shipments of hot dipped galvanized sheet and strip declined strongly in Q2 through Q4 2012 and have leveled off in 2014. Cold rolled shipments have shown little direction for eighteen months. This analysis is based on shipments to domestic locations plus exports and uses the AISI AIS10 monthly report and Commerce Department trade data.
Peter Wright
Read more from Peter WrightLatest in Steel Products Prices North America
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.
Nucor carries $875/ton HR list price into week seven
Nucor is keeping hot-rolled (HR) coil prices unchanged again this week, according to its latest consumer spot price (CSP) notice issued on Monday, Oct. 6
SMU Price Ranges: A newsy week sees modest price gains despite a quiet spot market
Market participants predicted that prices should be at or near a bottom. But while most seemed to agree on that point, many also said they saw little upside given a quiet spot market and ongoing concerns about demand.
Nucor increases plate prices by $60/ton
Nucor aims to increase prices for steel plate by $60 per short ton with the opening of its November order book.
Nucor’s $875/ton HR spot price spills into week six
Nucor is keeping hot-rolled (HR) coil prices unchanged again this week, according to its latest consumer spot price (CSP) notice issued on Monday, Sept. 29.