Steel Products Prices North America

September Foreign Steel Import Trend is 1 Million Tons Less than 3MMA
Written by John Packard
September 13, 2017
The U.S. Department of Commerce updated foreign steel license data on Tuesday. Based on data through the first 12 days of September, foreign steel imports are trending toward a 2.6 million net ton month. If the numbers hold, the 2.6 million tons would be one million tons lower than the three-month moving average, which is currently at 3.6 million tons.
We are seeing a big reduction in slabs, hot rolled, cold rolled, galvanized and plate products. The trend is for OCTG (oil country tubular goods) and other metallic (mostly Galvalume) to see continued high import levels on both products.
To get a better feel of how license data for September compares with prior months, see the table below. The license data below was collected between the 9th and 15th days of each respective month.

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

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.

Nucor spot HR list price unchanged at $875/ton
Nucor kept its weekly list price for hot-rolled (HR) coil unchanged this week, following a price bump of $10 per short ton (st) last week.

SMU price ranges: Flat-rolled balloon continues to leak
Sheet and plate prices were flat or lower again this week on continued concerns about demand and higher production rates among US mills.