U.S. raw steel production rose 0.7 percent to 5,453,000 net tons in June, as reported last week by the American Iron and Steel Institute in Washington. June production was well below the 2020 average of 6,687,000 tons, and down 31.7 percent compared to the same month last year. June production was 38,000 tons higher than […]
Steel imports into the United States declined by more than 20 percent in the first half of 2020, reported the American Iron and Steel Institute, based on preliminary Census Bureau data. Through the first six months of this year, total steel imports declined by 20.8 percent to 12.4 million tons, while finished steel imports declined […]
SMU contributor Tim Stevenson is a partner at Metal Edge Partners, a firm engaged in Risk Management and Strategic Advisory. In this role, he and his firm design and execute risk management strategies for clients along with providing process and analytical support. In Tim’s previous role, he was a Director at Cargill Risk Management, and […]
SMU contributor Tim Stevenson is a partner at Metal Edge Partners, a firm engaged in Risk Management and Strategic Advisory. In this role, he and his firm design and execute risk management strategies for clients along with providing process and analytical support. In Tim’s previous role, he was a Director at Cargill Risk Management, and […]
Steel Market Update’s check of the market this week shows flat rolled and plate steel prices falling by a further $10, taking the benchmark hot rolled price down to $450 per ton. Most respondents expressed doubts that the price increase announced last week by the integrated mills will gain any traction, especially since the minimills […]
Ferrous scrap prices are likely to trade flat to down a further $20 per ton in August, following on a $20-40 drop in July, lending little support to the mills’ hopes to raise finished steel prices as the economy slowly recovers from the pandemic. CRU Senior Analyst Ryan McKinley said stronger demand for scrap exports […]
A possible indication that the economy and steel demand gradually continue to improve, domestic steelmakers increased raw steel production for the seventh week in a row to a total of 1,320,000 net tons in the period ending July 25 with the mills operating at an average utilization rate of 58.9 percent, reported the American Iron […]
Recently released preliminary steel import data shows June imports totaling 1.39 million net tons, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. This is down 410,000 tons or 23 percent compared to final May imports. Taking semifinished products out of the picture, imports of finished products were down 12 percent in June over the previous month; […]
The U.S. share of global scrap trade has been increasing since Q1 2016 and in Q1 2020 was 23.3 percent. This is a quarterly analysis that SMU performs using data from the Iron and Steel Statistics Bureau (ISSB) in the UK. Some nations are slow to report, which results in the analysis being two months […]
This week’s SMU comparison of foreign and domestic hot rolled prices shows that U.S prices have gained an even greater advantage over foreign imports, according to SMU and CRU indices. After shrinking in May, the price gap between domestic HRC compared to German, Italian, and East/Southeast Asian imports has widened over the last few weeks. The […]
Hot roll steel held its own this week, remaining at an average price of $460 per ton. Cold rolled, galvanized and Galvalume prices slipped by a further $5-10 per ton, however, based on Steel Market Update’s latest check of the market. SMU will leave its price momentum indicators unchanged—pointing lower for HR, CR and galv—until […]
U.S. Steel, USS-POSCO Industries (UPI) and AK Steel each announced a $40 increase in flat rolled steel prices on Tuesday, July 21, hoping to reverse the slide that has cut about $120 per ton from steel prices since the coronavirus struck in mid-March. U.S. Steel’s North American Flat-Rolled Sales Organization informed customers today that base […]
Domestic steelmakers continue to increase raw steel production with mill capacity nearing 60 percent once again, even as the spread of the coronavirus threatens new disruptions to the economy. Steel production moved up for the sixth week in a row to a total of 1,306,000 net tons in the period ending July 18 with the […]
The following article on the hot rolled coil (HRC) steel and financial futures markets was written by Jack Marshall of Crunch Risk LLC. Here is how Jack saw trading over the past week: Steel Declining HR spot steepens the HR futures curve even as it shifts lower, but the light is just around the corner. […]
Recently released license data shows June steel imports at 2.01 million net tons, up 12 percent from May, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. Finished steel imports in June are currently at 1.47 million tons, down 3 percent from the previous month. Imports of semifinished products (mostly slabs) are at 540,000 tons for June, […]
By CRU Prices Analyst George Pearson, from CRU’s Steel Sheet Products Monitor The U.S. Midwest market has continued to record lower weekly sheet prices. Our assessment of HR coil is now down $23 /s.ton since the July 1 assessment and market participants expect further price declines to emerge for all sheet products over the near […]
Flat rolled and plate steel prices continued to slide this week, down by $5 to $15 per ton depending on the product, reflecting the lower scrap prices and uneven demand in July. Steel Market Update’s Price Momentum Index continues to point toward lower prices for hot rolled, cold rolled and galvanized in the next 30 […]
By CRU Principal Analyst James Campbell, from CRU’s Steel Sheet Products Market Outlook Sheet demand collapsed in 2020 Q2 to the lowest level in a decade. As lockdowns eased in May, manufacturing activity improved, and prices increased in most regions. Global sheet demand is expected to improve in 2020 Q3 and accelerate in 2021. However, output will […]
Steel production moved up for the fifth week in a row, and the seventh out of the last eight weeks, to a total of 1,289,000 net tons in the period ending July 11 with the mills operating at an average utilization rate of 57.5 percent, reported the American Iron and Steel Institute. Production has increased […]
Strong demand in China and easing of coronavirus restrictions in various parts of the world are lending support to global raw materials prices. Ferrous scrap prices are the notable exception as supplies have increased at a greater rate then demand, sending prices for both prime and obsolete grades downward. Table 1 summarizes the price changes […]
Total rolled product imports in June were down by 25.4 percent on a three-month moving average (3MMA) basis, year over year. This was the eighth consecutive month in which imports declined by more than 20 percent compared to the same month last year. This early look at June’s import volume is based on Commerce Department […]
Steel Market Update presents a comprehensive series of import reports ranging from the first look at Commerce license data to a detailed look at volume by district of entry and source nation. This report is designed to plug the gap between the two. National level import reports do a good job of measuring the overall […]
By CRU Principal Analyst Josh Spoores, from CRU’s Steel Sheet Products Monitor Sheet prices in July at best rose very weakly, or else only held steady or fell in a number of markets versus our June 10 price assessments. The domestic Chinese market was alone in showing more than just a slight m/m gain. CRU’s […]
U.S apparent steel supply rose slightly in May to 6.61 million net tons, according to recent U.S. Department of Commerce and American Iron and Steel Institute data. This is the second lowest supply level in our limited 10-year history, just behind the April 2020 figure of 6.54 million tons. Apparent steel supply, a proxy for […]
U.S. raw steel production in May rose 1.9 percent to 5,415,000 net tons, as reported last week by the American Iron and Steel Institute in Washington. May production was well below the 2020 average of 6,934,000 tons, and down nearly 3 million tons or 35.0 percent compared to the same month last year. May production […]
This week’s SMU comparison of foreign and domestic hot rolled prices shows that U.S prices continue gain a greater advantage over foreign imports, according to SMU and CRU indices. After shrinking in May, the price gap between domestic HRC compared to German, Italian, and East/Southeast Asian imports has widened over the last month. The following calculation […]
As expected, ferrous scrap prices declined in July, adding downward pressure to already weak finished steel prices. Steel Market Update sources report that obsolete scrap traded down $10-20 per ton, while prime grades were lower by $40 across the country. Scrap supplies have increased at a greater rate than steel production, say the experts, which […]
U.S. steel mills shipped 5,461,851 net tons in May, a 2.9 percent decrease from April, and a 32.9 percent decrease from the 8,142,270 net tons shipped in May 2019, reported the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI). Shipments by domestic steelmakers year to date totaled 35,194,683 net tons, a 13.1 percent decrease versus 2019 shipments […]
U.S. steel exports in May slipped 13 percent past April’s low to their lowest level in more than 24 years as the coronavirus took a toll on economies all over the world. At 353,000 tons, May exports were down 44 percent from levels one year prior, according to recent U.S. Department of Commerce data. The 2020 […]
SMU contributor Tim Stevenson is a partner at Metal Edge Partners, a firm engaged in Risk Management and Strategic Advisory. In this role, he and his firm design and execute risk management strategies for clients along with providing process and analytical support. In Tim’s previous role, he was a Director at Cargill Risk Management, and […]