Steel Prices

Nucor aims for $675/ton for HR
Written by Ethan Bernard
July 29, 2024
Nucor has raised its consumer spot price (CSP) for hot-rolled (HR) coil to $675 per short ton (st), up $25/st from last week.
HR prices for CSI, the company’s sheet subsidiary in California, also increased by $25/st, rising to $745/st. Note that sheet prices on the West Coast are typically higher than those east of the Rocky Mountains.
While the Charlotte, N.C.-based steelmaker said the CSP allows Nucor to offer “customers superior lead times,” it did not offer precise figures this week. In previous weeks, it had said lead times would be offered between 3-5 weeks.
Nucor commented in this week’s pricing announcement, “While a surge in dumped and subsidized flat rolled imports during the first half of 2024 has affected our pricing, we are currently experiencing higher raw material prices and have recently seen increased order entries reflecting our customers’ resilient underlying demand.”
Nucor introduced its weekly CSP in early April. Sheet prices have been largely declining for most of 2024.
SMU’s average price for HR slipped to $635/st as of last Tuesday, down $5/st from a week earlier.
We will update sheet and plate prices on Tuesday evening.

Ethan Bernard
Read more from Ethan BernardLatest in Steel Prices

SMU Price Ranges: HR slips, hopes for Q4 rebound still standing
SMU’s price ranges were mixed again this week as the market continues to seek a floor amid industry hopes for a Q4 rebound.

HARDI members suspect galvanized steel prices have hit the floor
Half of the participants on this month's Air-Conditioning & Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI) Sheet Metal/Air Handling Council call expect galvanized steel base prices to remain flat at ~$48 per hundredweight ($960/short ton) for the next 30 days.

Nucor’s hot band list price holds at $875/ton
Nucor held its hot-rolled coil list price flat again this week, according to its Monday, Sept. 15 consumer spot price (CSP) notice.

Price gap between US CR, most imports widens
Cold-rolled (CR) coil prices ticked lower in the US this week, while prices in offshore markets mostly diverged and ticked higher.

Pig iron market outlook cloudy
The pig iron market in Brazil is currently in flux and there have been few, if any, confirmed cargoes transacted for the US.