Steel Products Prices North America

Comparison Price Indices: Mixed Messages

Written by John Packard

June 25, 2017

Flat rolled steel prices had another mixed week of results based on our analysis of the steel indexes reporting last week. Hot rolled prices were up slightly on both the Steel Market Update (SMU) index as well as Platts. SMU saw the market as averaging $600 per ton, while Platts had it at $605 per ton.

Cold rolled was unchanged on the Platts index, but down $15 on weakness picked up by SMU. The SMU CRC average dropped to $780 per ton, while Platts remained at $795 per ton.

Galvanized was up $10 and Galvalume was flat for the week. Note: galvanized numbers are based on .060” G90, while Galvalume is based on .0142” AZ50, Grade 80 as its benchmark.

Plate prices were up on the SMU index to $755 per ton delivered, while Platts kept its FOB Southeastern mill number the same at $710 per ton.

SteelBenchmarker did not report prices last week as they only produce their indices twice per month.

SMU Note: Galvanized prices include $78 in extras for a .060″ G90 product. Galvalume prices include $291 in extras for a .0142” AZ50 Grade 80 product.

FOB points for each index:

SMU: Domestic Mill, East of the Rockies.
SteelBenchmarker: Domestic Mill, East of the Mississippi.
Platts: Northern Indiana Domestic Mill.

Plate price FOB points are different for each of the indexes:

SMU: FOB Delivered to the Customer (includes freight)
Platts: FOB Southeaster Mill (does not include freight)

Note that SteelBenchmarker produces numbers twice per month. On the weeks they produce numbers we will include them in the average. The weeks where they do not produce numbers (NA = not available) we will not include their outdated numbers in the CPI average.

John Packard

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