Steel Products Prices North America
January Apparent Steel Supply Rises to 10-Month High
Written by Brett Linton
March 14, 2021
U.S. apparent steel supply rebounded to a 10-month high in January, up 2.9% to 8.01 million net tons, according to the latest U.S. Department of Commerce and American Iron and Steel Institute data. This is the highest level seen since March 2020 when apparent supply was 8.63 million tons. Recall that April and May of 2020 were the two lowest levels seen in the last 10 years at 6.53 million tons and 6.60 million tons, respectively. January supply is down more than 1.5 million tons compared to the same month in 2020.
Apparent steel supply, a proxy for demand, is determined by combining domestic steel mill shipments and finished U.S. steel imports, then deducting total U.S. steel exports.
January apparent supply declined 15.8% compared to the same month one year ago when supply was 9.52 million tons. This change was primarily due to a 1.11 million ton decline in domestic shipments, combined with a 398,000-ton decrease in finished imports. Total exports were down 10,000 tons from levels one year prior, slightly reducing the year-over-year decline in supply.
The net trade balance between U.S. steel imports and exports was a surplus of 1.75 million tons imported in January, up 99.2% from the previous month, but down 29.3% from one year prior. Finished steel imports accounted for 15.8% of apparent steel supply in January, down from 17.4% in December, and down from 17.5% one year ago.
Compared to December when apparent supply was 7.79 million tons, January supply increased by 227,000 tons or 2.9%. This change was due to a 371,000-ton increase in domestic shipments, partially reduced by a 89,000-ton decrease in finished imports and a 55,000-ton increase in exports.
To see an interactive graphic of our Apparent Steel Supply history (example shown below), visit the Apparent Steel Supply page in the Analysis section of the SMU website. If you need any assistance logging into or navigating the website, contact us at info@SteelMarketUpdate.com.
By Brett Linton, Brett@SteelMarketUpdate.com
Brett Linton
Read more from Brett LintonLatest 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.