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    January 18, 2024

    US HRC premium over imports dips to $220/st

    Written by David Schollaert

    US hot-rolled coil (HRC) prices edged down this week while import prices moved higher on average. Domestic hot bands’ premium over cheaper imports declined as a result. But overall, US product remains substantially more expensive than overseas material.

    All told, US HRC prices are 21.4% more expensive than imports, a premium that is down three percentage points from last week’s analysis, when domestic tags were 24.3% more expensive. In dollars per ton terms, US HRC is now on average $220 per short ton (st) more expensive than offshore product, down from an average premium of $281/st a month ago.

    David Schollaert

    David Schollaert is deputy editor-in-chief for Steel Market Update. David joined SMU after more than a decade in the metals and mining industry in a myriad of different roles. Much of his early experience and expertise were within the coverage and analysis of steel-making raw materials and served previously as senior editor of the CRU Prices Service. Most recently, however, before his return to market analysis, David held roles as a metals buyer and an operations manager for raw material suppliers. He can be contacted at david@steelmarketupdate.com or 724-720-1008.

    Read more from David Schollaert

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