Tag: CRU

On Monday and Tuesday of this week, SMU polled steel buyers on a variety of subjects, including steel prices, demand, inventories, imports, and what people were talking about in the market.

Turkish scrap import prices increased for a third consecutive week.

European Aluminium, an association representing the entire European aluminum value chain, announced in a press release that it supports the European Commission's proposed 12th package of sanctions against Russia.

Surging US sheet prices and expanding lead times are making imports more attractive. The automotive workers’ strike is essentially over, and domestic US sheet prices have rocketed higher alongside lead times. There is little to suggest that the momentum of these price increases will slow over the next month or two, and thus imports have […]

US Hot-rolled coil (HRC) prices continue to surge on the heels of mill increases. They have become significantly more expensive than prices for hot band imported from offshore. Domestic hot band tags moved higher for a seventh consecutive week. Imports have seen only marginal gains over the same period, according to SMU’s latest foreign vs. domestic price analysis.

Flat Rolled = 52.6 Shipping Days of Supply Plate = 61.8 Shipping Days of Supply Flat Rolled US service center flat-rolled steel inventories decreased for a third consecutive month in October. At the end of October, service centers carried 52.6 shipping days of supply, according to adjusted SMU data. This is down from 53.3 shipping […]

Tata Steel has announced plans to cut 800 roles at its sheet works in Ijmuiden, the Netherlands, to remain competitive and profitable in the future. “Despite all efforts by Tata Steel to improve its market position and reduce costs, more is needed and the company needs to bring down personnel costs further,” the company stated. […]

CRU’s analysis shows that 7–12 million metric tons of additional steel demand will be generated following the issuance of RMB1 trillion bonds by the central government of China. The immediate impact of this is that market confidence has improved, which has supported prices. The additional steel demand is expected to materialize over 2024 and 2025. […]

The London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminum 3-month price is moving down again on the morning of Nov. 10 and was last seen trading at $2,225 per metric ton. The US Midwest premium remained steady for the third week in a row, suggesting a bottom might have been hit. Trading activity is picking up for the […]

Hot-rolled coil (HRC) tags continue to rally in the US, broadening the price disparity between domestic and imported offshore product.

The LME aluminum three-month price was unchanged on the morning of Nov. 3 and was seen trading at $2,235 per tonne.

It’s time to register for the Tampa Steel Conference 2024, easily one of the premiere North American steel events. It’s a can't-miss steel industry conference, especially following the record-breaking attendance at SMU’s Steel Summit 2023 this past August.

US hot-rolled coil (HRC) tags moved higher again this week, widening the gap in pricing between imported offshore product.

With the aluminum industry assembled in Nashville, Tenn., for the Aluminum USA 2023 conference, word was breaking of a tentative deal between the United Auto Workers (UAW) and Ford.

CRU forecasts a stronger year for steel sheet demand in 2024 than in 2023 as growth continues in Asia and a recent period of contraction in the West ends.

LME Aluminum Continues To Trade Under Pressure; US Midwest Premium Stays Between 19–19.5¢/lb The LME aluminum 3-month price continued to trade under pressure on the morning of 20 October and was last seen trading at $2,177/t. The US Midwest premium showed no surprise as it continued to sit between 19–19.5 ¢/lb. The UAW strikes are […]

Annual contract negotiations between buyers and mills in the US flat-rolled steel market are picking up pace as both look to lock in volume for the coming year. As these contracts are finalized, we expect that changes in the market will impact how 2024 contracts are ultimately structured. The primary change in the market is […]

US hot-rolled coil (HRC) prices are now more expensive than imported offshore product.

Much effort has been made in examining the supply chain of commodities related to electrification: everything from copper to aluminum to critical battery materials such as lithium, nickel, and cobalt. One overlooked material, however, is electrical steel.

Specialty steel producer Grupo Simec has permanently closed down its Republic Steel mills in Canton, Ohio, and Lackawanna, in New York state, it has emerged.

Prices for ore-based metallics were mixed month-on-month (MoM) as lower finished steel production weighs on pig iron demand.

The LME aluminum 3-month price was stable on the morning of Oct. 13, trading at $2,201 per tonne at that time.

US hot-rolled coil (HRC) and offshore product are nearly back even again after domestic prices moved higher for the second straight week.

The LME aluminum three-month price was broadly unchanged on Friday morning, Oct. 6, and was last seen trading at $2,243 per ton. Due to the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day celebrations, the SHFE is closed for holidays from Sept. 29 to Oct. 6. According to a report from Bloomberg, leaders from the EU and the […]

Because of a series of problems encountered in Australia and the United States, Coronado and Arch have both reduced their coking coal output guidance. They also warned of higher costs. Coronado Global Resources now forecasts production between 16.2 Mt and 16.4 Mt this year, compared with a previous range of 16.8 Mt and 17.2 Mt. […]

US hot-rolled coil (HRC) and offshore product are nearing parity again after domestic prices moved higher this week and imports declined again.

ArcelorMittal said it expects to produce less steel than previously forecast in Brazil. Gerdau has hinted at potential layoffs as imports surge. The Brazil Steel Institute is asking the government to raise import levies to 25% from the existing 9.6%. Meanwhile, Mexico has applied levies to some steel imports.

The LME aluminum 3-month price was up 4.7% during the last week of the month to close September trading at $2,325 per metric ton – its highest price since early August. Several correlations appeared to have broken down in the short term given the weakness in the US stock market, a weaker copper price, and, critically, the resurgent dollar.

US hot-rolled coil (HRC) prices were down again vs. offshore hot band this week. Domestic HRC lost more ground relative to imported product with US tags sinking at a faster rate than those overseas.

Demand will be the determining factor in what happens to steel sheet prices globally for the remainder of the year, and most risks right now are to the downside. An autoworkers strike has started in the USA and could increase price volatility in the domestic sheet market. The longer and more severe this strike is, […]