Nucor and Big River Steel have joined the ranks of sheet mills announcing new coating extras for 2022. “Consistent with our practice to monitor the cost of zinc, we have revised our galvanized coating weight extras,” Charlotte, N.C.-based Nucor said in a letter to customers on Wednesday, Dec. 1. The new coating extras will be […]
By CRU Research Analyst Aaron Kearney-Keaveny from CRU’s Steelmaking Raw Materials Monitor Dec. 7 Iron ore remained largely stable in the past week, before rising noticeably on Monday and Tuesday, now standing at $108.0 /dmt. Supply is rising and demand seems stable, but speculation around China has resulted in the iron ore price rising yet […]
Preliminary Census data shows that total foreign steel imports declined 17% in October to 2.71 million net tons, easing from September’s 28-month high of 3.26 million tons. November import licenses are currently at 2.55 million tons, a 6% decline from October and down 22% compared to September. Total finished imports are preliminarily at 2.33 million tons in […]
Plate prices moved up this week as recent mill price increases gained some traction, but prices for sheet products were flat to down, based on Steel Market Update’s check of the market on Monday and Tuesday. The plate price was up $60 to an average of $1,835 per ton, while hot rolled coil was down […]
With almost 11 months in the record books, domestic raw steel production is up nearly 20% versus last year when the market was dogged by various pandemic disruptions. Adjusted year-to-date production through Nov. 27 totaled 86,274,000 net tons – up 19.7% from the 72,053,000 net tons during the same period in 2020. The average mill utilization […]
Domestic raw steel production slipped in the week ending Dec. 4, down for the second straight week. U.S. mills produced an estimated at 1,807,000 net tons during the week, while the average mill utilization rate dipped to 81.9%, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI). Production was down an estimated 1.6% compared to […]
Nucor has increased plate prices by $40 per ton ($2 per cwt) with the opening of its January order book. The price hike – announced on Monday, Nov. 29 and effective immediately – is equal across all plate products. The Charlotte, N.C.-based steelmaker’s price increase is also notable because it is $10 per ton less than the […]
Flat rolled and plate steels all saw double-digit decreases this week as the price trend appears be gaining downward momentum The average price for hot rolled dropped by $50 to $1,780 per ton, the first time that benchmark has been below $1,800 since early July. Prices for cold rolled and coated products saw declines of […]
Algoma Steel Inc. has increased plate prices for U.S. customers by at least $50 per ton ($2.50 per cwt). The move is effective immediately for new spot orders. The increase is $60 per ton CAD for customers in Canada. The Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario-based flat rolled steelmaker said the price hike applied equally to as-rolled […]
Domestic raw steel production edged higher in the week ending Nov. 20, increasing for the second consecutive week. U.S. mills produced an estimated 1,861,000 net tons during the week, while the average mill utilization rate rose to 84.3%, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI). Production was up an estimated 0.3% compared to […]
Nucor has decreased steel pipe and tube prices by $100 per ton ($5 per hundredweight) effective immediately. The Charlotte, N.C.-based steelmaker said the drop applied equally to all new orders of hollow structural sections (HSS), pipe, mechanical tubing, and piling products. “This decrease is a result of normalized raw material costs and reduced transportation volatility,” […]
SSAB Americas, in a leading move, has increased plate prices by $50 per ton ($2.50 per hundredweight). The price hike is effective immediately for all new spot orders, the Mobile, Ala.-based steelmaker said in letters to customers on Monday, Nov. 22. The amount of the increase is $60 per ton CAD for customers in Canada. The […]
By Greg Wittbecker, Advisor, CRU Group Prices are higher…. why aren’t we seeing more aluminum production? One of the most natural questions being asked in the world of aluminum is “with LME prices up so much year on year, why aren’t we seeing more capacity coming back to life?” It IS an appropriate question and […]
Sheet and plate prices are nearing parity for the first time in about a year, the latest sign of a market in flux. Below is a good way to visualize that trend. The chart below maps out the spread between sheet and plate going back to 2017. If we rewind to mid-November of last […]
Prices for four of the seven steelmaking raw materials tracked in this SMU analysis declined over the last 30 days. Through Nov. 18, iron ore prices fell 27% from one month prior, aluminum prices are down 17%, zinc prices declined 15%, and coking coal prices decreased 4%. In that same time frame, shredded scrap prices […]
Steel Market Update’s poll of buyers on Monday and Tuesday showed further small declines for flat rolled steel prices, while plate prices were up a bit. No sign yet of a sharp correction as prices continue to ease downward. The benchmark price for hot rolled is now down to $1,830 per ton, $25 lower than […]
Raw steel production by U.S. mills rebounded after falling for three straight weeks, and down five out of the last seven weeks. Domestic raw steel production was estimated at 1,856,000 net tons in the week ending Nov. 13, while the average mill utilization rate rose to 84.1%, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute […]
Hot-rolled coil prices continue to slide. And galvanized base prices are holding more or less steady. What gives? Check out the slide below. The green line is galvanized base prices. The blue line is lead times. Prices are on the left-hand side of the slide. Lead times are on the right. Prices have been around […]
Imports of less-expensive sheet and plate products have been on the rise for the past five months as buyers continue to seek relief from record-high steel prices in the U.S. September Commerce Department data show imports’ share of the U.S. flat-products markets at their highest levels in the past 4-5 years. Imports’ share of total […]
By Greg Wittbecker, Advisor, CRU Group Quotas in exchange for exemption, a bad precedent for other countries There has been much written about the new détente between the EU27 and the USA in the aftermath of the deal to suspend duties on European steel and aluminum. There are also reports that something may also be […]
September apparent steel supply increased by 90,000 tons over August to 9.92 million net tons, according to the latest U.S. Department of Commerce and American Iron and Steel Institute data. This is the highest supply level seen in more than six years, going back to January 2015 when supply surpassed 10 million tons. September supply is up […]
Steel Market Update is pleased to share this Premium content with Executive members. For information on upgrading to a Premium-level subscription, email Info@SteelMarketUpdate.com. U.S. raw steel production in September eased 4.9% from August to 7.89 million net tons, a 408,000-ton seasonal decline, according to American Iron and Steel Institute data. One month prior, production had reached a 20-month high […]
U.S. steel exports decreased 4% from August to September to 732,000 tons, according to the latest U.S. Department of Commerce data. September marks the lowest monthly export level seen in six months. Recall that in March and June of this year, we saw the two highest monthly export levels in the last three years (790,000 and 778,000 […]
Steel Market Update’s check of the market this week shows both flat rolled and plate prices declining by another $10-25 per ton. The declines were not unexpected and are in line with the downtrend that has materialized in the last two months as seasonal dips in demand and competition from imports put pressure on domestic […]
On Monday, Nov. 8, NLMK notified customers of an upward revision to their galvanized steel coating extras, effective on orders starting January 2022. Zinc prices soared in October, reaching a record high of $1.74 per pound on Oct. 15. Prices have since declined, down to $1.48 per pound as of Nov. 9. Recall that the last round of […]
By CRU Principal Analyst Erik Hedborg, from CRU’s Steelmaking Raw Materials Monitor, Nov. 9 Iron ore prices remain under pressure as Chinese steel production levels remain low and iron ore inventories continue to pile up, both at ports and at steel mills. A price of $92 /dmt is the lowest seen since May 2020, and […]
Raw steel production by U.S. mills slipped for the third straight week, now down five out of the last six weeks. Domestic raw steel production was estimated at 1,841,000 net tons in the week ending Nov. 6, while the average mill utilization rate dipped to 83.4%, its lowest reading since the week of July 10, […]
By Greg Wittbecker, Advisor, CRU Group Since I spoke at the Fall Management Meeting, the market has continued to experience tremendous volatility and new variables to consider. CRU has recently updated its expectation for market balances, premiums and LME prices. These forecasts can be seen in detail through our Aluminum Market Outlook subscription. Here are […]
Final Census data shows that September foreign steel imports increased 17% from August to 3.26 million net tons and a 28-month high. October import licenses are currently at 2.47 million tons as of Nov. 4, down 24% from September and down 11% compared to August. The last time total monthly import levels were this high was April […]
The Steel Tube Institute has named Dale Crawford as its next executive director. He replaces Joseph Anderson, who is retiring. Crawford has served as director of STI’s Conduit Division since May 2017 and will continue in the Conduit Committee leadership role in addition to his responsibilities as executive director. Anderson, who has carried dual roles […]