Steel Products Prices North America

November Steel Import License Data Trending Toward 3.7 Million Tons
Written by John Packard
November 20, 2014
The U.S. Department of Commerce reported steel import license data through the 18th of November a little earlier this week. We have done an analysis of the license data and have compared it to previous months to see if we can see any similarities in the numbers.
The daily average rate for licenses is shown in the table below. This daily rate was for imports through the 18th of the month shown (or closest report to that date).
So far this month we appear to be on a similar trend as we were in August 2014. We believe imports will be well below the record set in October (although not final census numbers yet) of 4,481,322 net tons. The August 2014 final import numbers (all products) was 3,698,435 net tons.
We think November will end up somewhere between our 12 month and 3 month moving averages. Our 12MMA is 3,397,122 net tons and our 3MMA is 3,819,083 net tons. In November 2013 imports came in at 2,592,549 net tons.

John Packard
Read more from John PackardLatest in Steel Products Prices North America

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.

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.