Steel Products Prices North America

Raw Steel Production Increases Slightly: AISI
Written by Becca Moczygemba
October 18, 2022
Raw steel production by US mills rose modestly last week, but capability utilization remans below 80%. Utilization rates haven’t eclipsed 80% in 14 weeks.
This matters because rates at or above 80% are considered healthy. Indeed, rates below that level were part of the justification for the implementation of Section 232 tariffs in 2018.
Domestic steel output was 1,688,000 net tons in the week ending Oct. 15, while capability utilization was 75.7% — up slightly from 75.3% the previous week, according to the latest data from the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI).
Output was up 0.5% from the week prior but down 8.4% from 1,836,000 tons during the same week last year. Mill capacity utilization last week was 0.4 percentage points above the prior week but 7.5 percentage points below the same period one year ago when utilization was 83.2%.
Adjusted year-to-date production through Oct. 15 totaled 71,395,000 tons, with an overall utilization rate of 79.3%. Production was 4.4% below the same period last year when it was 74,719,000 tons and capability utilization was at 81.2%, AISI said.
Output fell in three out of the five regions last week: The South (-4,000 tons, or -0.5%), the West (-3,000 tons, or -4.2%), and the Midwest (-1,000 tons, or -0.5%). Production rose in the the Northeast (+5,000 tons, or 3.7%) and the Great Lakes (+11,000 tons, or 2%).
Production by region for the week ending Oct. 15 was as follows: Northeast,141,000 tons; Great Lakes, 556,000 tons; Midwest, 184,000 tons; South, 739,000 tons; and West, 68,000 tons — for a total of 1,688,000 tons, up 8,000 tons from the prior week.
Note: The raw steel production tonnage provided in this report is estimated. The figures are compiled from weekly production tonnage provided by approximately 50% of the domestic production capacity combined with the most recent monthly production data for the remainder. Therefore, this report should be used primarily to assess production trends. The AISI production report “AIS 7,” published monthly and available by subscription, provides a more detailed summary of steel production based on data supplied by companies representing 75% of US production capacity.
By Becca Moczygemba, Becca@SteelMarketUpdate.com

Becca Moczygemba
Read more from Becca MoczygembaLatest in Steel Products Prices North America

SMU Price Ranges: HR holds, galv slips amid competing market narratives
SMU’s sheet and plate prices see-sawed this week as hot-rolled (HR) coil prices held their ground while prices for galvanized product slipped.

Nucor carries $875/ton HR list price into week seven
Nucor is keeping hot-rolled (HR) coil prices unchanged again this week, according to its latest consumer spot price (CSP) notice issued on Monday, Oct. 6

SMU Price Ranges: A newsy week sees modest price gains despite a quiet spot market
Market participants predicted that prices should be at or near a bottom. But while most seemed to agree on that point, many also said they saw little upside given a quiet spot market and ongoing concerns about demand.

Nucor increases plate prices by $60/ton
Nucor aims to increase prices for steel plate by $60 per short ton with the opening of its November order book.

Nucor’s $875/ton HR spot price spills into week six
Nucor is keeping hot-rolled (HR) coil prices unchanged again this week, according to its latest consumer spot price (CSP) notice issued on Monday, Sept. 29.