SMU’s average hot-rolled coil prices dropped below $900 per ton ($45 per cwt) for the first time since December 2020. And some sources, citing short lead times and spotty demand, said they see little reason for the trend to reverse in the short term. SMU’s hot-rolled coil prices now stand at $875 per ton ($43.75 […]
US Steel made downward revisions to their galvanized and Galvalume coating extras on Monday, with new extras going into effect Sept. 4, 2022. Earlier this month, Steel Dynamics, NLMK USA, and Wheeling-Nippon also revised their galvanized coating extras. SMU provides an updated comparison of mill galvanized coating extras in the Resources section of our website, […]
The Energy Information Administration’s July Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO) remains subject to a high level of uncertainty, driven by factors such as sanctions affecting Russia’s oil production, the production decisions of OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries), and the rate at which US producers increase drilling. Due to these variabilities, the EIA continues to […]
SMU canvassed steel buyers on a variety of subjects including steel prices, supply and demand, and new mill capacity on Monday and Tuesday of this week. Rather than summarizing the comments received, we are sharing them in each buyer’s own words. Want to have your voice heard and share your comments with SMU? Contact Brett@SteelMarketUpdate.com […]
Sheet prices continued to slide this week and plate prices to defy gravity. If there is an upside, it’s that the pace of sheet declines has moderated slightly. SMU’s hot-rolled coil price now stands at $910 per ton ($45.50 per cwt), down $45 per ton from $955 per ton a week ago and down $190 […]
Steel Market Update sources reported ferrous scrap prices fell significantly in July, the third consecutive month of declines since peaking in March and April. Prime grades declined as much as $150 per gross ton, while obsolete grades decreased $30-50 per ton. Scrap prices are now in line with levels seen in the first two months […]
Data on US industrial production, capacity utilization, orders and inventories continued to improve through the first half of 2022, indicating a strengthening manufacturing sector. The health of the manufacturing economy has a direct bearing on the health of the steel industry. The Industrial Production (IP) Index The IP index is a gauge of output from […]
Wheeling-Nippon Steel made downward revisions to their galvanized coating extras on Tuesday, with new extras going into effect immediately. Last week, Steel Dynamics and NLMK USA also revised their galvanized coating extras, with their new prices going into effect in August 2022. SMU provides an updated comparison of mill galvanized coating extras here in the […]
US heating and cooling equipment shipments rose 1% from April to May. They now stand at 2.09 million units according to data from the Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI). Recall that two months prior, in March, we saw the third highest monthly shipment rate in our history at 2.28 million units (behind June […]
US apparent steel supply increased 4% from April to May, rising to 9.48 million net tons, according to the latest US Department of Commerce and American Iron and Steel Institute data. Recall that supply reached a six-year high last September at 9.92 million tons, declining each month through February. May’s supply level is now the […]
US steel exports fell 4% in May to 793,000 net tons, further declining from a 45-month high in March, according to the latest US Commerce Department data. On a 12-month moving average (12MMA), May exports have reached a 3+ year record high. Total May exports are 7% higher than levels seen one year ago. As shown […]
The number of total active drilling rigs in the US and Canada increased this week, according to data from oilfield services company Baker Hughes. The number of active oil and gas drilling rigs in operation is important to the steel industry because it is a leading indicator of oil country tubular goods (OCTG) demand. The […]
Sheet steel prices declined last week for the eleventh week in a row, while plate prices have remained relatively stable in comparison, according to SMU’s price indices published last Tuesday. Plate prices typically carry a premium over hot rolled prices because plate is a value-added product and requires more time on the mill. SMU’s hot […]
NLMK USA made mostly downward revisions to their galvanized coating extras this week. The new extras go into effect in August 2022. Earlier this week, Steel Dynamics also revised their galvanized coating extras, with their new prices going into effect August 1, 2022. SMU provides a comparison of mill galvanized coating extras here in the […]
The latest SMU Market Survey results are now available on our website to all Premium members. After logging in at SteelMarketUpdate.com, visit the Analysis tab and look under the “Survey Results” section for “Latest Survey Results.” Historical survey results are also available in the Survey Results section under “Survey Results History.” If you need help […]
Steel Market Update’s Steel Buyers Sentiment Index rose one 1 this week, inching up from the 18-month low seen in late June. Our Future Sentiment Index also recovered a few points from a significant decline in June. It rose 3 points this week. SMU surveys steel buyers every other week and asks how they view their chances of success […]
Final Census data reveals that May steel imports totaled 2.75 million net tons, just 17,000 tons higher than April, but down 11% from March’s 26-month high of 3.09 million tons. June import licenses are at 2.79 million tons through July 6th data, (up from 2.29 million tons last week), now in line with April and […]
Steel mill lead times continued to shorten into July for both sheet and plate products, according to our latest market check this week. On average this week, lead times declined by 0.3 weeks compared to late June and are down an average of half a week compared to one month prior. Having gradually declined from […]
Nearly nine out of ten steel executives polled this week reported that mills are willing to talk price to secure an order, according to our latest steel market survey. A high willingness to negotiate has been evident in our market checks since early May and now stands at the highest level since early February 2022. […]
Steel Dynamics (SDI) has lowered metallic coating extras in response to declining zinc and aluminum prices. The new extras are effective Aug. 1, 2022. They apply not only to galvanized products but also to Galvalume, Galfan, and aluminized material, the Fort Wayne, Ind.-based steelmaker said. “Since the most recent adjustment to our published metallic coating […]
Domestic sheet prices continue to slide back to levels not seen since late 2020 or early 2021. Even plate prices, which had been stable to date, are starting to show signs of cracking. SMU’s average hot-rolled coil price now stands at $955 per ton ($47.75 per cwt), down $300 per ton (24%) from early June […]
Steel prices continued to ease each week throughout June, following declines in May as well. Hot rolled prices were $1,190 per ton ($59.50 per cwt) the first week of June. Prices then slipped between $45 and $90 each of the following weeks, with the SMU index averaging $995 per ton as of last Tuesday. (This […]
Thomas Hosea, executive director, GPSC Central Operations at General Motors will speak at the upcoming SMU Steel Summit Conference this August. Hosea will share General Motors’ view on their move to electric vehicles. Hosea is responsible for creating and executing strategies that will ensure a resilient and sustainable value chain for GM’s raw material and Customer […]
Thomas Hosea, executive director, GPSC Central Operations at General Motors will speak at the upcoming SMU Steel Summit Conference this August. Hosea will share General Motors’ view on their move to electric vehicles. Hosea is responsible for creating and executing strategies that will ensure a resilient and sustainable value chain for GM’s raw material and Customer […]
Steel Market Update will be taking time off in observance of Independence Day. We will not publish an issue on Sunday, July 3, and our offices will be closed on Monday, July 4. Our weekly pricing service will not be impacted. We will resume our regular publication schedule and our pricing service on Tuesday, July […]
Steel Market Update sources expect ferrous scrap prices to fall again in July, the third consecutive month of declines since March and April’s record high prices. Both prime and obsolete grades are expected to decrease $50 per gross ton or more, with some saying prime could fall as much as $100 per ton. “The swiftness […]
The appeal of foreign hot rolled coil (HRC) over domestic steel is slowly diminishing, according to SMU’s latest foreign versus domestic HRC price comparison. Between mid-April and late May, foreign steel prices generally declined at a faster rate than domestic prices, resulting in greater potential discounts on imported products. Now, domestic prices are declining at a faster […]
Earlier this week SMU canvassed steel buyers on a variety of subjects, ranging from steel prices to supply and demand to new mill capacity. We are sharing the comments we received in each buyers’ own words, rather than summarizing them in ours. Want to have your voice heard and share your comments with SMU? Contact Brett@SteelMarketUpdate.com […]
Preliminary Census data shows that steel imports in May currently total 2.74 million net tons, 6,000 tons higher than April, but down 11% from March’s 26-month high of 3.09 million tons. June import licenses are now at 2.29 million tons, 16% less than April and May levels, and potentially the lowest level seen since Feb. […]
Steel Market Update’s average hot-rolled coil price has fallen below $1,000 per ton ($50 per cwt) for the first time since December 2020 – or 18 months ago. The move comes as some market participants said that a floor might be near while others said such talk was mostly wishful thinking. Our benchmark hot-rolled coil […]