US HRC Now a Better Bargain Than Imports

US hot-rolled coil (HRC) is now a better deal than imported hot band, something we haven’t seen since early February, according to SMU’s latest foreign vs. domestic price analysis.

Domestic HRC tags continue to decline at a steeper rate than offshore product. The premium stateside HRC held over imported material has shifted by nearly 20% since early July. Imported hot band is now roughly 4% more expensive than domestic product.

David Schollaert

David Schollaert is deputy editor-in-chief for Steel Market Update. David joined SMU after more than a decade in the metals and mining industry in a myriad of different roles. Much of his early experience and expertise were within the coverage and analysis of steel-making raw materials and served previously as senior editor of the CRU Prices Service. Most recently, however, before his return to market analysis, David held roles as a metals buyer and an operations manager for raw material suppliers. He can be contacted at david@steelmarketupdate.com or 724-720-1008.