Steel Products Prices North America
August Imports Forecast to Increase by 6.8% over July
Written by John Packard
September 5, 2013
Based on the most recent compiled license data from the U.S. Department of Commerce, total steel imports are poised to rise by 6.8 percent in August compared to the prior month. August imports are forecast to be 2,691,265 net tons which are above both the 3 month and 12 month moving averages. August imports are forecast to be up 9.5 percent compared to June imports.
When looking at semi-finished we see higher flows of slabs which we believe are due to the CSA slab mill bringing their #2 blast furnace back online and beginning to replenish the ThyssenKrupp Steel USA mill in Alabama.
Imports of all of the other flat rolled products followed by Steel Market Update on a regular basis are forecast to be higher in August than both the prior month as well as above the 3MMA and 12MMA.
What will be interesting to watch from here are the months of September and October which could be much higher on flat rolled products due to the increases in domestic steel prices which began in late May.
John Packard
Read more from John PackardLatest in Steel Products Prices North America
SMU Community Chat: Timna Tanners on ‘Trumplications’ for steel in 2025
Wolfe Research's Managing Director Timna Tanners discusses the 'Trumplications' for steel in the coming year in this week's SMU Community Chat.
Nucor raises hot rolled spot price to $750/ton
Nucor raised its weekly consumer spot price (CSP) for HRC this week to $750/short ton.
SMU price ranges: Most sheet and plate products drift lower
Steel sheet prices mostly edged lower for a second week, while plate prices slipped for the third consecutive week.
Nucor drops HRC price to $720/ton
After holding its weekly spot price for hot-rolled (HR) coil steady for three weeks at $730 per short ton (st), Nucor lowered the price this week by $10/st.
SMU price ranges: Sheet slips, plate falls to 45-month low
Steel sheet and plate prices moved lower this week as efforts among some mills to hold the line on tags ran up against continued concerns about demand.