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    Why the Energy Sector is Important to Steel

    Written by Paul Lowrey


    As you think about your business and where you think benchmark hot rolled prices will be in 2017 and 2018 one of the areas you need to consider are the energy markets. The energy markets have been in the doldrums for the past few years due to low oil and natural gas prices. The net result was drilling of new oil and gas rigs dropped significantly. So much so that many of the OCTG producers in the U.S. shut down pipe mills waiting for the market to come back. Lately, oil and gas prices have regained some of their losses and the rig counts have bottomed and appear to be slowly coming back.

    The following article was originally written by Paul Lowrey of Steel Research Associates and published in Steel Market Update on January 20, 2015:

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    Sheet and plate price gains accelerate as 2026 tons dry up

    Sheet and plate prices continue to push higher as mills charge a premium for what little spot tonnage remains for 2026, market participants said. SMU’s price assessment for hot-rolled (HR) coil now stands at $1,290 per short ton (st) on average, up $10/st week over week. HR price gains averaged $5/st w/w throughout July and August, with no changes in prices some weeks and gains of at most $15/st w/w. In September and October to date, in contrast, prices have increased every week—with the average gain at $11.25/st w/w and w/w gains as high as $20/st. Prices for cold-rolled and coated products continued to increase as well. SMU's price assessment for cold-rolled (CR) coil clocked in at...