SMU Data and Models
Service Centers Continue to Keep Price Momentum Going
Written by John Packard
August 21, 2014
Both manufacturing companies and service centers reported similar results regarding the status of spot pricing out of the distributors into their end user customers.
Manufacturers reported distributors spot pricing as being either stable (no change) which gathered 73 percent of the responses or rising which attracted 23 percent of those manufacturing companies who responded to this week’s survey. Only 4 percent reported seeing prices falling from their service center suppliers.
Seventy nine percent of the service centers reported spot prices as remaining the same while the balance of the distributors responding to this week’s survey reported prices as rising (21 percent).
We have seen the service centers as being actively supporting stable to higher spot prices for the past three months. You have to go back to late first quarter to see any price weakness being displayed out of the distributors.
John Packard
Read more from John PackardLatest in SMU Data and Models
SMU Survey: Modest improvement in Sentiment Indices
Both SMU Sentiment Indices continue to show that buyers remain optimistic for their company’s chances of success, though far less confident than they felt earlier in the year.
SMU flat-rolled market survey results now available
SMU’s Aug. 8, 2025, steel buyers market survey results are now available on our website to all premium members.
SMU’s July at a glance
SMU’s Monthly Review provides a summary of our key steel market metrics for the previous month, with the latest data updated through July 31.
SMU Survey: Mills maintain short lead times on sheet
Mill production times for sheet products are holding just above multi-year lows, while plate lead times remain elevated.
SMU Survey: Most buyers say mills are willing to talk price
Most steel buyers continue to report that mills are open to negotiating spot prices. Negotiation rates have remained high for most of the past three months.