SMU price ranges: Indices drop across the board

All of SMU’s sheet and plate steel price indices declined this week, easing by $30-$40 per short ton (st) on average since early May. Prices continue to slide lower as buyers remain on the sidelines, wary of holding much excess inventory and expecting further declines.

Among the five products we track, hot-rolled coil (HRC) saw the smallest drop, easing $30/st to $845/st week over week (w/w). The lower end of our HRC range has dipped to $790/st, with reports of mills selling below $800/st for big-ton orders. HRC prices are down $50/st compared to one month ago.

Brett Linton

Brett Linton is a digital operations analyst for Steel Market Update, where he began his career. Linton has been in the steel industry since 2010. He has held roles as a category manager and strategic insights director at Reibus before returning to SMU in 2024. He is a graduate of The University of North Georgia with a degree in Finance and Accounting. Brett can be reached at brett@steelmarketupdate.com or 724-314-0179.