Steel Products Prices North America

SMU Price Ranges & Indices: Flat Rolled Prices Down Modestly

Written by Brett Linton

March 17, 2020

Except for galvanized and plate prices, which stayed flat, flat rolled steel saw declines of $10 to $25 per ton last week. The downtrend certainly could have been worse, given the coronavirus crisis, but sources report that steel production and demand remain surprisingly strong. Steel Market Update’s Flat Rolled Price Momentum Indicator remains at Neutral, however, as the effect of COVID-19 on commerce makes the price direction unpredictable.

Here is how we see prices this week:

Hot Rolled Coil: SMU price range is $540-$590 per ton ($27.00-$29.50/cwt) with an average of $565 per ton ($28.25/cwt) FOB mill, east of the Rockies. The lower end of our range declined $10 per ton compared to one week ago, while the upper end fell $20. Our overall average is down $15 per ton over last week. Our price momentum on hot rolled steel is now Neutral until the market establishes a clear direction.

Hot Rolled Lead Times: 3-8 weeks

Cold Rolled Coil: SMU price range is $730-$790 per ton ($36.50-$39.50/cwt) with an average of $760 per ton ($38.00/cwt) FOB mill, east of the Rockies. Both the lower and upper ends of our range declined $10 per ton compared to last week. Our overall average is down $10 per ton over one week ago. Our price momentum on cold rolled steel is now Neutral until the market establishes a clear direction.

Cold Rolled Lead Times: 4-8 weeks

Galvanized Coil: SMU base price range is $37.50-$39.50/cwt ($750-$790 per ton) with an average of $38.50/cwt ($770 per ton) FOB mill, east of the Rockies. The lower end of our range increased $10 per ton to one week ago, while the upper end declined $10. Our overall average is unchanged over last week. Our price momentum on galvanized steel is now Neutral until the market establishes a clear direction.

Galvanized .060” G90 Benchmark: SMU price range is $819-$859 per net ton with an average of $839 per ton FOB mill, east of the Rockies.

Galvanized Lead Times: 6-8 weeks

Galvalume Coil: SMU base price range is $37.50-$40.00/cwt ($750-$800 per ton) with an average of $38.75/cwt ($775 per ton) FOB mill, east of the Rockies. The lower end of our range decreased $30 per ton compared to last week, while the upper end declined $20. Our overall average is down $25 per ton over one week ago. Our price momentum on Galvalume steel is now Neutral until the market establishes a clear direction.

Galvalume .0142” AZ50, Grade 80 Benchmark: SMU price range is $1,041-$1,091 per net ton with an average of $1,066 per ton FOB mill, east of the Rockies.

Galvalume Lead Times: 6-8 weeks

Plate: SMU price range is $620-$680 per ton ($31.00-$34.00/cwt) with an average of $650 per ton ($32.50/cwt) FOB delivered to the customer’s facility. Both the lower and upper ends of our remained the same compared to one week ago. Our overall average is unchanged over last week. Our price momentum on plate steel is Lower, meaning we expect prices to decline over the next 30 days.

Plate Lead Times: 4-5 weeks

SMU Note: Below is a graphic showing our hot rolled, cold rolled, galvanized, Galvalume and plate price history. This data is available here on our website with our interactive pricing tool. Note that plate prices are not yet available on our website, but we are in the process of adding that dataset. If you need help navigating the website or need to know your login information, contact us at info@SteelMarketUpdate.com or 800-432-3475.

Steel Market Update Steel Price Indices

Brett Linton

Brett Linton is a senior analyst for Steel Market Update, where he began his career. Linton has been in the steel industry since 2010. He has held roles as a category manager and strategic insights director at Reibus before returning to SMU in 2024. He is a graduate of The University of North Georgia with a degree in Finance and Accounting. Brett can be reached at brett@steelmarketupdate.com or 724-314-0179.

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