Steel Products Prices North America

SMU Price Ranges & Indices: Slipping

September 19, 2017

Flat rolled and plate steel prices, which have been fairly resilient over the past couple of months, slipped this week. The biggest move was in plate, which was down $30 per ton, while flat rolled products were lower by $5 to $20 per ton. We will wait to see if this move was nothing more than an adjustment to the spread or the start of a stronger move lower. Our SMU Price Momentum Indicator continues to be at Neutral, although we have been noting a negative feel to the market over the past couple of weeks.

Here is how we see prices this week:

Hot Rolled Coil: SMU price range is $590-$640 per ton ($29.50/cwt-$32.00/cwt) with an average of $615 per ton ($30.75/cwt) FOB mill, east of the Rockies. Both the upper and lower ends of our range declined $10 per ton compared to one week ago. Our overall average is down $10 per ton compared to last week. Our price momentum on hot rolled steel is pointing to Neutral indicating prices are expected to remain steady over the next 30 days. SMU is recommending steel buyers be careful as momentum may be shifting.

Hot Rolled Lead Times: 2-5 weeks

Cold Rolled Coil: SMU price range is $770-$830 per ton ($38.50/cwt-$41.50/cwt) with an average of $800 per ton ($40.00/cwt) FOB mill, east of the Rockies. Both the upper and lower ends of our range fell $10 per ton compared to last week. Our overall average is down $10 per ton compared to one week ago. Our price momentum on cold rolled steel is pointing to Neutral indicating prices are expected to remain steady over the next 30 days. SMU is recommending steel buyers be careful as momentum may be shifting.

Cold Rolled Lead Times: 5-8 weeks

Galvanized Coil: SMU base price range is $38.00/cwt-$41.50/cwt ($760-$830 per ton) with an average of $39.75/cwt ($795 per ton) FOB mill, east of the Rockies. The lower end of our range remained the same compared to one week ago while the upper end declined $20 per ton. Our overall average is down $10 per ton compared to last week. Our price momentum on galvanized steel is pointing to Neutral indicating prices are expected to remain steady over the next 30 days. SMU is recommending steel buyers be careful as momentum may be shifting.

Galvanized .060” G90 Benchmark: SMU price range is $838-$908 per net ton with an average of $873 per ton FOB mill, east of the Rockies.

Galvanized Lead Times: 4-8 weeks

Galvalume Coil: SMU base price range is $39.00/cwt-$41.50/cwt ($780-$830 per ton) with an average of $40.25/cwt ($805 per ton) FOB mill, east of the Rockies. The lower end of our range increased $10 per ton compared to last week while the upper end declined $20 per ton. Our overall average declined $5 per ton compared to one week ago. Our price momentum on Galvalume steel is pointing to Neutral indicating prices are expected to remain steady over the next 30-60 days. SMU is recommending steel buyers be careful as momentum may be shifting.

Galvalume .0142” AZ50, Grade 80 Benchmark: SMU price range is $1,071-$1,121 per net ton with an average of $1,096 per ton FOB mill, east of the Rockies.

Galvalume Lead Times: 4-7 weeks

Plate: SMU price range is $660-$720 per ton ($33.00/cwt-$36.00/cwt) with an average of $690 per ton ($34.50/cwt) FOB delivered. The lower end of our range declined $20 per ton compared to one week ago while the upper end fell $40 per ton. Our overall average is down $30 per ton over the past week. Our price momentum on plate steel is pointing to Neutral indicating prices are expected to remain steady over the next 30 days. SMU is recommending steel buyers be careful as momentum may be shifting.

Plate Lead Times: 3-5 weeks

SMU Note: Below is a graphic showing our hot rolled, cold rolled, galvanized, and Galvalume price history. We will add plate prices to this graph once we have gathered a few months of data. To use the graph’s interactive capabilities, you must view it on our website here. If you need help navigating the website or need to know your login information, contact us at info@SteelMarketUpdate.com or by calling 800-432-3475.