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    January 18, 2021

    CRU: U.S. Long Product Prices Surge to Highest Levels in a Decade

    Written by Ryan McKinley

    By CRU Senior Analyst Ryan McKinley and Analyst Dave Thewlis, from CRU’s Steel Long Products Monitor

    U.S. domestic long product prices rose further m/m in January, hitting multi-year highs (see chart) as limited supply met with strong demand. Buyers are increasingly relying on domestic mills to acquire material, as global prices have made importing less viable. Further supporting higher prices have been a large increase in input costs like scrap. We see this domestic market tightness extending into February, with some easing on the horizon in late 2021 Q1 or 2021 Q2.

    Ryan McKinley

    Ryan joined CRU in 2018 and is now the editor of the Steel Sheet Monitor. He also forecasts North American prices, production, demand, and trade for sheet and plate products in CRU's Steel Sheet and Plate Market Outlooks. Ryan has eight years of experience in steel market analytics, covering markets from steel metallics, steel long products, stainless steel, and now steel sheet and plate markets. Prior to joining CRU, he covered a variety of local North American scrap markets at Argus Media. He holds a BA in Political Science from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado, and an MA in Energy Politics in Eurasia from European University located in Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation. Ryan is based in Denver, Colorado.

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