Prices of steelmaking raw material moved in differing directions over the last 30 days, according to Steel Market Update’s latest analysis. Through the latest data available as of Oct. 27, coking coal prices increased 15% over the last month, aluminum prices rose 8%, and zinc prices increased 2%. Pig iron prices remained stable. Busheling scrap […]
By CRU Senior Analyst, Puneet Paliwal, from CRU’s Scrap, DRI/HBI & Pig Iron Monitor Global scrap prices stay subdued while those of ore-based metallics have found some support. Overall metallics demand continues to be hampered by the steel market weakness, a trend which may sustain through the short term, particularly in Europe. The CRU metallics price […]
We’ve seen a wave of mill idlings and outages this fall. But steel buyer reaction to date has been subdued. The yawn now in response to all those tons coming out of the market stands in stark contrast to the almost hysterical reaction to downtime at even the smallest producers in early 2021. Remember the […]
Prices for each of the steelmaking raw materials tracked in this SMU analysis decreased over the last 30 days, further declining from the record-high levels seen in March and April. Through the latest data available as of Sept. 21, zinc prices decreased 12% in the last month, busheling scrap and aluminum prices fell 7%, pig […]
Prices for five of the seven steelmaking raw materials tracked in this SMU analysis decreased over the last 30 days, further declining from the record levels seen in March and April. Through the latest data available as of August 31, pig iron prices decreased 38% in the last month, busheling scrap prices fell 14%, aluminum […]
Steel Market Update sources report ferrous scrap prices declined as much as $70 per gross ton from July to August, the fifth consecutive month of declines since March–April’s record high prices. Prime scrap fell by $70 per ton from the month prior, while obsolete grades declined $15–40 per ton. For the first time since late-2020, […]
Prices for all seven of the steelmaking raw materials tracked in this SMU analysis declined over the last 30 days, receding further from record-high levels seen in March and April. Through the latest data available as of July 27, coking coal prices decreased 56% compared to one month prior, pig iron and busheling scrap prices […]
Steel Market Update sources reported ferrous scrap prices fell significantly in July, the third consecutive month of declines since peaking in March and April. Prime grades declined as much as $150 per gross ton, while obsolete grades decreased $30-50 per ton. Scrap prices are now in line with levels seen in the first two months […]
Steel Market Update sources expect ferrous scrap prices to fall again in July, the third consecutive month of declines since March and April’s record high prices. Both prime and obsolete grades are expected to decrease $50 per gross ton or more, with some saying prime could fall as much as $100 per ton. “The swiftness […]
Prices for six of the seven steelmaking raw materials tracked in this SMU analysis declined over the last 30 days, again receding from record-high levels seen 2-3 months prior. Through the latest data available as of June 23, coking coal prices decreased 28% compared to one month prior, aluminum prices fell 15%, iron ore and […]
Steel Market Update sources report ferrous scrap prices declined from May to June, dropping further from the record high prices seen in March and April. Prime grades declined between $55-75 per gross ton, with obsolete grades down $50-70 per ton. This puts the SMU price indices for scrap as follows: Busheling scrap at $600-670 per […]
Steel prices eased each week in May, following increases in March and most of April. Hot rolled prices were $1,440 per ton ($72 per cwt) the first week of May, just $40 lower than the mid-April peak. Prices then slipped between $15 and $75 each of the following weeks, with the SMU index averaging $1,255 […]
Steel Market Update sources expect ferrous scrap prices to decline in June, following record high prices in March through May. Some expect prime grades to decline as much as $50 per gross ton from May, with obsolete grades down anywhere from $20-$50 per ton. “Markets are worsening by the day. It looks like there is continued […]
Editor’s note: Steel Market Update is please to share this Premium content with Executive members. For information on how to upgrade to a Premium-level subscription, email Info@SteelMarketUpdate.com. Following record price increases in March and April, prices for six of the seven steelmaking raw materials tracked in this SMU analysis declined over the last 30 days. […]
Steel Market Update sources report ferrous scrap prices fell $75-100 per gross ton in May, following record high prices in March and April due to the war in Ukraine. Heavy melt (HMS) was down nearly $100 per gross ton, whereas shredded and busheling prices were down $75 per gross ton. “Demand is okay, but there’s just too much supply […]
Steel Market Update sources expect ferrous scrap prices to decline in May, following record high prices in March and April due to the Ukraine-Russia war. Some expect obsolete grades to decline significantly from April, with busheling prices potentially down as well. “Just looking at the export market makes me think US domestic will see significant drops for all […]
Following record price increases in March, prices for four of the seven of the steelmaking raw materials tracked in this SMU analysis increased over the last 30 days. Through late April, pig iron prices increased 18% compared to one month prior, zinc prices rose 15%, busheling scrap prices increased 11%, and iron ore prices were up […]
Nucor Corp. “immediately” halted sourcing pig iron and other raw materials from Russia following the invasion of Ukraine in late February, the company’s top executive said. “The day after the invasion happened, we stopped buying materials immediately from Russia and have taken nothing from them,” Nucor president and CEO Leon Topalian said. “We pivoted very quickly […]
Ferrous scrap prices were mixed in April, with busheling up $75 per gross ton (GT), shredded scrap flat, and HMS down $20/GT. These were not the movements scrap experts had expected, with late March forecasts calling for obsolete grades up $50-$100/GT over March and busheling up $120-$200/GT. “April ferrous markets have settled and suffice it […]
Steel Market Update sources expect ferrous scrap prices to rise yet again in April, with obsolete grades potentially up $50-$100 per gross ton over March and busheling up $120-$200 per gross ton. The big anticipated gains in April follow record price increases in March due to the Ukraine-Russia war. “I have to say, this is one […]
The war in Ukraine has disrupted commodity markets across the globe. Prices for all seven of the steelmaking raw materials tracked in this SMU analysis increased over the last 30 days. Through late-March, pig iron prices surged 60% compared to one month prior, coking coal prices jumped 45%, scrap prices increased 26-32%, zinc and iron […]
The war in Ukraine has triggered what may be the largest monthly increase in scrap prices ever seen with shredded scrap trading in March at around $600/GT and prime scrap at $700/GT – up by $125-175/GT over February, sources tell Steel Market Update. Market participants were expecting modestly higher scrap prices in March following declines […]
Steel Market Update sources expect ferrous scrap prices to rise by at least $30/GT, and probably more, in most regions next month, following substantial declines in January and February. On the metallics front, mills around the world are watching anxiously to see how the conflict in Ukraine will impact pig iron supplies and prices. “The […]
Ferrous scrap has been described as “the new precious metal,” as mills all over the world invest in scrap-fed electric arc furnaces as a means of lowering harmful greenhouse gas emissions. Indeed, prime scrap may prove to be even more rare and prized than most realize. In the United States alone, producers will add 5.3 […]
Prices for five of the seven steelmaking raw materials tracked in this SMU analysis increased over the last 30 days, with only one product decreasing. Through Feb. 17, iron ore prices rose 18% from one month prior, aluminum prices increased 10%, coking coal prices rose 9%, zinc prices were up 3%, and pig iron prices […]
Ferrous scrap prices declined again in February after an unexpectedly big drop in January. Prime scrap traded down $35/GT in most regions, while obsolete grades traded sideways, sources tell Steel Market Update. That puts the February price for busheling at around $525-535/GT, shred at $470-480/GT and HMS at $430-440/GT. “Tepid demand is being offset by […]
January marked the fifth consecutive month of declining steel prices, following a year-long streak of continuous price increases. Hot rolled prices declined $200 per ton throughout the month, with the SMU index averaging $1,335 per ton ($66.75 per cwt) as of Tuesday, Jan. 25. The SMU Price Momentum Indicator for sheet products remains at Lower since its mid-October adjustment. January […]
Prices for four of the seven steelmaking raw materials tracked in this SMU analysis increased over the last 30 days, while three products decreased. Through Jan. 26, coking coal prices rose 26% from one month prior, aluminum prices increased 10%, iron ore prices rose 8%, and zinc prices were up 2%. In that same time […]
Ferrous scrap prices in the U.S. saw a big, $60-per-ton drop in January – a surprise in a month when scrap prices usually rise. That makes it trickier than usual to predict what will happen to scrap prices in February. Experts said the January decline brought domestic prices more in line with foreign, and also […]
Ferrous scrap prices in the Midwest saw a big $60 drop in early trading for January – a surprise in a month that historically sees scrap prices rise. While trading continues in other regions, sources tell Steel Market Update they expect the market to settle in the next few days at down $40-50/GT for obsolete […]