Category: Long Products

Nucor has pulled the plug on a planned rebar micro mill in the Pacific Northwest.

he US longs market remained stable this month despite ongoing challenges from tariff-impacted imports, even as end-use demand was relatively unchanged and scrap prices held flat in August.

CRU Senior Steel Analyst Alexandra Anderson discusses current market and pricing dynamics for long steel products in the US.

CRU Senior Steel Analyst Alexandra Anderson shares insight into the current market for long steel products.

Most longs prices in the US were unchanged this month, except for rebar, which declined by $1.50/cwt ($30/short ton) m/m. While end-use demand is stable, inventories are well-stocked, keeping purchases limited. Domestic availability is sufficient to meet current demand, hindering the appetite for imported material. Meanwhile, prices for scrap remained under pressure in June, with […]

Sufficient inventories resulting in softer demand continued to drag down US longs prices this month. Furthermore, lower scrap prices in May added to the downward pressure and expectations for June scrap are turning increasingly bearish. Import interest was also limited, particularly as competition among domestic producers rose.

Steel Dynamics Inc. (SDI) has announced new roles for current executives James Anderson and Chad Bickford. SDI said James Anderson will take over responsibility and oversight for the company's long products group, effective May 1.

The US long products market was largely stable this month, as end-use demand remained subdued, and buyers continued to work through inventories. Scrap prices rose in January, fuelling bullish sentiments, but sluggish activity limited any expansion in margins. As a result, rebar, merchant bar, and structurals were all flat month-on-month (MoM). Wire rod prices decreased […]

Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional (CSN) is considering plans to build an electric arc furnace (EAF) long products mill and a galvanizing facility for steel sheet in the United States. That’s according to an investor presentation in which the Brazilian steelmaker said new plants in the U.S. as well as expansions in Europe and in Brazil were […]

By CRU Senior Analyst Ryan McKinley, from CRU’s Steel Long Products Monitor, Dec. 1 Long product prices again moved higher in the USA m/m following a larger-than-expected scrap price increase and unseasonably strong demand. Mill-announced price increases for wire rod were the largest at $80 /s.ton m/m, while merchant bar and beam prices were also […]

By CRU Senior Analyst Ryan McKinley and Analyst Dave Thewlis, from CRU’s Steel Long Products Monitor Long product prices in the U.S. remained elevated and moved higher again m/m in some cases for October. Wire rod mills pushed through another round of price increases in mid-September and there was little to no resistance from buyers […]

By CRU Principal Analyst James Campbell, from CRU’s Steel Long Products Monitor Long product prices have fallen in most regions this month as demand was lower than expected. Part of the weakness was seasonal, but parts of Asia were also affected by further outbreaks of Covid-19. Except for the USA, the tight supply seen in […]

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 […]

This report examines the import share of sheet, plate, long and tubular products. As of November 2020, imports’ share of total sheet products was 11.4 percent, down from 11.8 percent in October. Imports’ share has been on a steady decline since its most recent peak of 16.6 percent this past May. The import share of […]

By CRU Principal Analyst James Campbell, from CRU’s Steel Long Products Monitor Global long product prices have increased to the highest level since 2008. Global supply has tightened due to production cuts and changes to export tax rebates in China. Demand is strong in many regions, but Covid-19 outbreaks and seasonal patterns mean some weakness […]

By CRU Analyst Dave Thewlis, from CRU’s Steel Long Products Monitor U.S. long product prices continued to surge into the month of February due to ongoing market tightness and strong demand. Imports remain too costly to seriously consider for the majority of buyers, given high international steel prices coupled with costly shipping rates and tariffs. Rebar […]

By CRU Principal Analyst James Campbell, from CRU’s Long Products Monitor Most long product prices around the world increased this month as the recovery in demand continues. For some markets and products, the increase in supply has been outpaced by demand. Wire rod remains the strongest product right now as the increase in construction activity […]

By CRU Principal Analyst James Campbell from CRU’s Long Products Monitor Global long product prices increased in many markets this month as strengthening demand combined with higher costs and for some products in particular. Strength was not uniform however; prices were weaker in Southeast Asia and China, the latter due to weaker sentiment following lower […]

By CRU Senior Analyst Ryan McKinley, from CRU’s Long Products Monitor U.S. domestic long product prices were forced lower across the board as demand weakness caused by the Covid-19 pandemic combined with a substantial m/m decline in scrap prices. Construction activity in many states was either curtailed or prohibited entirely as local governments took measures […]

This report examines the import share of sheet, plate, long and tubular products and 16 subcategories. Since January 2020, imports’ share of the total sheet products has been 14.5 percent, down from 21.4 percent in 2015. The import share of HRC has been below 10 percent since January 2019. The most striking finding in this […]

In spite of the widely reported decline in import volume, import market share increased in the second quarter. Last week we reported that June was the eighth consecutive month in which imports were down by more than 20 percent compared to the same month last year. This has not been the case for import market […]

Imports of rolled products have declined every month since May 2018 year over year with the greatest declines in each month December 2019 through February 2020. Total rolled product imports in February were down by 26.7 percent on a three-month moving average (3MMA) basis. This follows the 26.3 percent decrease in December and 29.6 percent […]

By CRU Analyst Chris Bandmann, from CRU’s Steel Long Products Monitor Europe: Germany has not seen any significant snowfall yet this winter, and these mild conditions had the potential to support the continuation of construction activities. Construction companies entered their holidays regardless, however, and steel demand has settled into a seasonal low point. Even so, […]

By CRU North America Analyst Ryan McKinley U.S. long product price declines were limited for most products in September after finding support from the scrap market, but downward pressure continues to mount. Even with scrap prices rising by $20 /l.ton in August, persistent price falls throughout the year have yet to spur buyers’ interest amid high […]

By CRU North America Analyst Ryan McKinley U.S. long product prices have come under downward pressure, driven primarily by persistently high inventory levels. This inventory build-up has been compounded by an increase in import levels in March relative to the prior month, and consistently wet weather in many regions of the U.S. has delayed any […]

By CRU North America Analyst Ryan McKinley Long product prices in the U.S. are coming under downward pressure after a build-up in late-2018 inventory levels lingered into the new year and import prices became more attractive for domestic buyers. Price drops so far—where they have occurred—have been minimal but import deals with arrival dates 60-90 […]