Category: Sheet

According to recently finalized US Commerce Department data, US steel imports tumbled to a near five-year low in September

SMU’s latest steel buyers market survey results are now available on our website to all premium members.

After another eventful week in the steel market comes to a close, one of the most interesting developments has been timing.

Steel mill lead times held relatively steady this week on both sheet and plate products, according to responses from SMU’s latest market survey.

Participants in the domestic coil market hope producer price increases indicate strong market conditions entering the new year.

Less than half of the steel buyers who responded to our market survey this week reported that domestic mills are willing to talk price on new spot orders

The price gap between stateside hot band and landed offshore product continues to narrow toward parity, now at its lowest level in five months.

Nucor has announced new base prices for galvanized steel products as of Wednesday, Dec. 10.

SMU’s sheet and plate prices took a breather this week, holding relatively steady at multi-month highs.

Nucor increased its weekly hot-rolled coil spot list price by $10 per short ton (st) on Monday, Dec. 8.

NLMK has revised their galvanized and galvanneal coating extras effective January 2026.

The price gap between stateside hot band and landed offshore product has inched closer to parity, now at its lowest level since the summer.

All of SMU’s sheet price indices rose this week, climbing to new multi-month highs. At the same time, our plate index held steady.

Nucor increased its weekly hot-rolled coil spot list price by $5 per short ton (st) on Monday, Dec. 1. This was its sixth increase in as many weeks, moving up $45/st over that span.

SMU’s latest steel buyers market survey results are now available on our website to all premium members.

Steel mill lead times extended this week on all sheet and plate products tracked, according to responses from SMU’s latest market survey.

All five of SMU’s sheet and plate price indices increased this week for the second week in a row, with all products inching up to new multi-month highs. Prices are now up by $30-70/st compared to those seen four weeks ago.

Nucor increased its weekly hot-rolled coil spot list price by $5 per short ton (st) on Monday, Nov. 24. This was its fifth increase in as many weeks.

Sources say domestic mill lead times and consumer spot prices have increased this week.

In the month since my last column, the tides have started to turn – and as usual it wasn’t the physical market that moved first.

The price gap between stateside hot band and landed offshore product shrank week over week (w/w).

The SMU Steel Demand Index slackened from late October, remaining below expansion territory, according to SMU's mid-November indicators.

SMU’s price indices increased across the board this week, reaching new multi-month highs.

Algoma Steel plans to continue its transition to electric-arc furnace (EAF) steelmaking using the CA$500 million in loans from the Ontario provincial and Canadian federal governments.

SMU’s Mill Order Index (MOI) surged in October after a notable decline the month prior. The recovery came as service center on order inventory totals picked up, supported by a slight uptick in shipments, according to our latest service center inventories data.

US service centers’ flat-rolled steel supply edged lower for the third straight month, reaching 53.3 shipping days of supply on an adjusted basis at the end of October, according to SMU data.

Nucor has increased its consumer spot price (CSP) for hot-rolled (HR) coil for a fourth consecutive week. Now at $910 per short ton (st), up $15/st from last week.

US sheet market participants say demand for hot- and cold-rolled coils has not increased, leaving them confused by mill price increases and average lead times.  

Steel mill lead times extended marginally this week on most sheet products but declined for plate, according to responses from SMU’s latest market survey.

Just over half of the steel buyers who responded to our market survey this week reported that domestic mills are willing to talk price on new spot orders. Mills have begun to hold a firmer stance on prices over our last two surveys.