Steel Products Prices North America
Foreign Steel Imports Trending Toward 3.5 Million Tons
Written by John Packard
June 1, 2017
As the month of May comes to a close we are seeing import license data from the U.S. Department of Commerce suggesting foreign steel imports of 3.5 million net tons. This would be 200,000 tons higher than April and 100,000 tons above March – both of which we extremely high months for imports based on what we have seen since the AD/CVD trade suits were filed in 2015.
As reported earlier in May the biggest line item was semi-finished steel imports which are going directly to the domestic steel mills. Semi’s appear poised to be 200,000-300,000 tons greater than both the 12-month moving average as well as the 3-month average.
Hot rolled imports are muted while galvanized imports are trending toward another 300,000 ton month.
John Packard
Read more from John PackardLatest in Steel Products Prices North America
SMU Price Ranges: HR slips, hopes for Q4 rebound still standing
SMU’s price ranges were mixed again this week as the market continues to seek a floor amid industry hopes for a Q4 rebound.
Nucor’s hot band list price holds at $875/ton
Nucor held its hot-rolled coil list price flat again this week, according to its Monday, Sept. 15 consumer spot price (CSP) notice.
Market says cutting interest rates will spur stalled domestic plate demand
Market sources say demand for domestic plate refuses to budge despite stagnating prices.
SMU Price Ranges: Some predict bottom is near as big discounts dry up
Sheet prices were mixed this week as some mills continued to offer significant discounts to larger buyers while others have shifted toward being more disciplined, market participants said.
SMU Price Ranges: Tags mixed as uncertainty weighs on market
SMU’s hot-rolled (HR) coil price held steady this week while prices for other sheet and plate products declined.