Steel Products
Builder Confidence at Highest Level in 8 Years
Written by Sandy Williams
August 16, 2013
Builders are feeling more confident about the housing market according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index. The August Index shows an increase of three points to 59, bringing the index to its highest level in almost eight years.
Of the three components used in the monthly survey to compile the index, current sales conditions rose three points to 62 in August, sales expectations for the next six months rose one point to 68, and traffic of prospective buyers was unchanged at 45.
In a three month moving average for the Housing Market Index, the Midwest and West gained six points each, 60 and 57, respectively. The Northeast was unchanged at 39 and the South moved up four points to 54.
The NAHB reports buyers are motivated by firming home prices and limited inventory of homes for sale. The momentum of buying, however, is being slowed somewhat by “tight credit and low supplies of finished lots and labor,” said NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe.
Sandy Williams
Read more from Sandy WilliamsLatest in Steel Products
Nucor raises plate prices by $40/ton, cites market conditions
Nucor Corp. announced that its plate mill group was raising prices for as-rolled, discrete, cut-to-length, and normalized plate “in response to current market conditions.” The Charlotte, N.C.-based steelmaker said in a letter to customers on Tuesday, Feb. 4, after market close, that it would be seeking an increase of $40 per short ton (st). Nucor […]
Domestic, offshore CRC prices diverge
The price spread between US-produced cold-rolled (CR) coil and offshore products narrowed again in the week ended Jan. 31, as imports edged higher and US product ticked lower.
US HR price premium over imports widens
Hot-rolled (HR) coil prices ticked up in the US this week, while tags abroad were mixed. The result: the margin US hot band holds over imports on a landed basis widened slightly.
Plate report: Mills pushing price up, but still willing to talk
Repeated mill price hikes this week may have stopped the bleeding and could signal a rebound.
Higher tags expected for February scrap settle
The US scrap market sentiment has become more bullish over the last week. Many districts are telling SMU that the potential rise in prices will exceed the earlier estimate of $20 per gross ton (gt). Several sources have pegged the February market as up $30-50/gt. Here are several regional viewpoints from the trade: In the […]