Price Announcements Put Spot Numbers in Clearer Focus

ArcelorMittal also advised that their AM/NS Calvert mill would not have any spot availability until August but they do have availability at their Northern mills. Hot rolled lead times were referenced as being late June as were cold rolled and coated depending on the facility.

On Thursday, AK Steel also announced a price increase on flat rolled steels. The $50 per ton AK increase was their 5th since they began announcing increases on the 9th of December 2015. Their December increase provided minimum spot selling prices of $420 per ton on hot rolled ($21.00/cwt), $540 per ton on cold rolled ($27.50/cwt) and $550 per ton on galvanized ($27.50/cwt).

Since the early December announcement AK Steel has added an additional $110 per ton of increases. Hypothetically, their spot base prices on flat rolled should be: $530 per ton on hot rolled ($26.50/cwt), $650 per ton on cold rolled ($32.50/cwt) and $660 per ton ($33.00/cwt) on galvanized.

Our sources are telling us that Nucor and NLMK USA are at $520 per ton base for spot hot rolled and $700 base cold rolled and coated.

SDI came out earlier in the week as they opened their May order book at $25.50/cwt ($510 per ton) on hot rolled and $34.50/cwt ($690 per ton) cold rolled and coated.

On Friday we learned that UPI (USS/Posco) opened their July order book and it is expected that California Steel will open their July book on Monday of this week.