Steel Products Prices North America

Comparison Price Indices: Looking for Stability
Written by John Packard
May 26, 2015
We saw mixed results this past week as the various indexes attempt to find firm ground for flat rolled steel pricing.
Of the three reporting indexes followed by Steel Market Update last week, one (Steel Market Update) saw two of the four products as being lower than the week before. Although, SMU advised that the change was nothing more than an adjustment based on the data collected last week. CRU saw prices as being slightly higher and Platts kept all of their items exactly the same as the week before.
Hot rolled price averages ranged from $455 at SMU and CRU to Platts $462.50.
Cold rolled price assessments ranged from SMU’s $570 to CRU $579 and Platts $580.
Galvanized assessments ranged from SMU’s $644 per ton (.060” G90) to CRU’s $650 per ton.
Galvalume was unchanged at $881 (.0142 AZ50, Grade 80).
Plate prices were seen as slightly higher by CRU which rose by $5 per ton to $580 per ton while Platts remained the same at $585 per ton.
FOB Points for each index:
SMU: Domestic Mill, East of the Rockies.
CRU: Midwest Mill, East of the Rockies.
SteelBenchmarker: Domestic Mill, East of the Mississippi.
Platts: Northern Indiana Domestic Mill.
Note that SteelBenchmarker produces numbers twice per month. On the weeks they produce numbers we will include them in the average. The weeks where they do not produce numbers (NA = not available) we will not include their outdated numbers in the CPI average.

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

SMU Price Ranges: HR slips, hopes for Q4 rebound still standing
SMU’s price ranges were mixed again this week as the market continues to seek a floor amid industry hopes for a Q4 rebound.

Nucor’s hot band list price holds at $875/ton
Nucor held its hot-rolled coil list price flat again this week, according to its Monday, Sept. 15 consumer spot price (CSP) notice.

Market says cutting interest rates will spur stalled domestic plate demand
Market sources say demand for domestic plate refuses to budge despite stagnating prices.

SMU Price Ranges: Some predict bottom is near as big discounts dry up
Sheet prices were mixed this week as some mills continued to offer significant discounts to larger buyers while others have shifted toward being more disciplined, market participants said.

SMU Price Ranges: Tags mixed as uncertainty weighs on market
SMU’s hot-rolled (HR) coil price held steady this week while prices for other sheet and plate products declined.