Steel prices continued to shoot upward at a breakneck pace as mills raced to keep ahead of spiraling raw material costs. Supply chain shocks caused by Russian forces’ invasion of Ukraine have led to higher pig iron prices, expectations of big gains in scrap prices next month – and all that comes on top of already […]
Distributors who sell galvanized steel products have some recent experience at managing purchasing and inventory in a rapidly rising price environment. In their monthly conference call earlier today, members of the Heating, Air-Conditioning & Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI) drew some comparisons between the spike in steel prices prompted by the pandemic last year and the […]
The war in Ukraine continues to impact the volatility in steel markets around the world. Here in the United States, we have seen steel buyers coming off the sidelines as they look to protect themselves against the possibility of being short steel. This despite flat-rolled steel inventories being at 2.72 months’ supply at the end […]
By Matthew Abrams, Analyst, CRU Group Over the past week, there have been a few noteworthy updates to new Russian sanctions. First, the big news was Russia’s removal from the list of Most Favored Nations. This allows room for new duties to be imposed on the imports of Russian goods. The U.S. does not import […]
Steel mill lead times appear to be extending again. Steel Market Update’s check of the market this week shows lead times for orders of flat rolled and plate products increasing by an average of 1.2 weeks. Buyers polled this week by SMU reported mill lead times ranging from 4-8 weeks for hot rolled, 5-8 weeks […]
Steel Dynamics Inc. (SDI) expects modestly higher first-quarter earnings despite lower average flat-rolled steel selling prices over the last three months. The Fort Wayne, Ind.-based steelmaker expects earnings of $5.55-5.59 per diluted share in the first quarter, according to figures released after the close of markets on Wednesday, March 16. That’s up from $5.49 per […]
Sheet prices saw their biggest week-over-week gains – and by a wide margin – since Steel Market Update’s foundation in 2008. Case in point: SMU’s average hot-rolled coil price jumped to $1,260 per ton this week ($63 per cwt), up $210 per ton (20%) from $1,050 per ton last week. That is more than double […]
Sheet prices saw their biggest week-over-week gains – and by a wide margin – since Steel Market Update’s foundation in 2008. Case in point: SMU’s average hot-rolled coil price jumped to $1,260 per ton this week ($63 per cwt), up $210 per ton (20%) from $1,050 per ton last week. That is more than double […]
Flat Rolled = 54.4 Shipping Days of Supply Plate = 51.1 Shipping Days of Supply Flat Rolled U.S. service center flat rolled inventories continued to recede in February, indicating that inventories may be near balance. At the end of February, U.S. service centers carried 54.4 shipping days of supply on an adjusted basis, according to […]
Total mill shipments of steel products fell in January to 8.153 million tons, a 9.4% decline from December’s 8.995 million tons, 2021’s strongest monthly performance. Apparent supply also fell in January, down 7.6% versus the prior month, and unable to keep the upward trajectory seen during the final quarter of 2021. This analysis is based on steel […]
Everyone is searching for clarity. We are searching for clarity as well. There are many moving parts affecting the current market, and we are not sure what the future is going to look like just a few months from now. With Putin’s war against Ukraine, and the sanctions imposed by the United States, Europe, and […]
By CRU Research Analyst Christopher Dix and Analysts Diego Giangreco and Tiago Vespoli, from CRU’s Steelmaking Raw Materials Monitor, March 10 Pig iron prices have increased following disruption to CIS supply. The global pig iron market is short of supply as Russian exports are difficult to replace. Black Sea freight options are now very limited, […]
Hot-rolled coil prices are up an average up $50 per ton ($2.50 per cwt) this week, breaking a six-month trend of flat or falling prices. And that gain might prove modest compared to what’s in store in the weeks ahead. Why? Because the war in Ukraine has the potential to shock the steel market at […]
Steel Market Update is pleased to share this Premium content with Executive members. For information on upgrading to a Premium-level subscription, email Info@SteelMarketUpdate.com. The value of U.S. steel product shipments was virtually unchanged in January at $12.320 billion or 0.1% above December’s total. Though negligible, the increase follows declines over the prior two months after […]
Despite war in Ukraine, rising inflation, and uncertainty around steel prices, more than 80% of buyers responding to Steel Market Update’s survey this week still described themselves as optimistic about their prospects for the first half of this year. Their generally positive outlook – reflected in the comments below – point to healthy steel demand […]
A lot has happened in the world since my last article. Please bear with me as there is much to talk about. First, my thoughts and prayers go out to the people of Ukraine, and for that matter the innocent people in Russia who want nothing to do with Putin’s war. The world order is […]
Steel mill lead times remain short, but yielded minor upward movements this week for most products, based on Steel Market Update’s latest check of the market. SMU’s data on mill negotiations shows buyers still have the upper hand. Buyers polled this week by SMU reported mill lead times ranging from 2-6 weeks for hot rolled, […]
Last year when hot rolled coil prices in the U.S. surged to record highs, foreign steel was hundreds of dollars cheaper, and import orders skyrocketed. Now that U.S. steel prices have come back to earth, foreign steel has lost that competitive advantage. Foreign HRC prices are now approximately $45-108 per ton more expensive than domestic steel, […]
February marked month six of declining steel prices, following a 12-month streak of continuous price increases. Hot rolled prices declined $215 per ton throughout the month, with the SMU index averaging $1,020 per ton at the end of February (recall our HR average this week declined another $20 to $1,000 per ton). The SMU Price Momentum Indicator for sheet products was […]
The fog of war. That’s what we’re all dealing with now. Even in steel as realization grows that the war in Ukraine will have consequences here in North America too. The exact contours are still uncertain. We know that pig iron prices are up sharply, and that concerns about shortages are mounting – not just […]
Sheet prices fell again this week. But price declines for hot-rolled coil have slowed, with HRC tags down $20 per ton ($1 per cwt) and coalescing around $1,000 per ton. While some mills were reported to be cutting deals as low as $900 per ton, others were said to be mulling price hikes. Cold-rolled and […]
The Chicago Business Barometer fell last month for the first time since last November, according to the latest indicators from Market News International (MNI) and the Institute for Supply Management (ISM). February’s Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) reading was 56.3, down 8.9 points from January, as almost a quarter of the firms surveyed reported New Orders […]
The next three months remain favorable for metalforming companies, though widespread supply shortages and other challenges continue, according to the February 2022 Precision Metalforming Business Conditions Report. There was little change in this month’s forecast for business conditions. Only 10% of companies predict a decrease in economic activity during the period, up slightly from 7% […]
Sheet prices fell hard again this week. Our average hot-rolled coil number now stands at $1,020 per ton ($51/cwt), down $60 per ton from last week and marking the lowest point for HRC prices since January 2021. Large buyers reported deals in the mid-$900s. Another notable trend: Prices for coated products led the way downward […]
For those of you who don’t pay attention to such things, today’s date is 2/22/22…. On Monday, Cleveland-Cliffs announced on their website their intention of indefinitely idling the #4 blast furnace at Indiana Harbor, and a $50 per ton ($2.50/cwt) price increase on orders slated for production in April 2022. Cliffs CEO Lourenco Goncalves spoke […]
Distributors who sell galvanized steel products to the construction and HVAC sectors see Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.’s announcement of a price increase this week as a positive sign the market’s slide may be nearing a bottom. The Cleveland-based steelmaker notified customers this week that it is shutting down a blast furnace and will raise prices for April […]
Spot market prices are moving and moving very quickly. One of the service centers I communicated with today said, “I’ve not seen a market downturn quite like this one (nor the upside either), and it’s making the discovery of legit pricing quite difficult. I will say, the one constant I keep hearing is that the […]
Steel mill lead times, which have shortened to near historical averages, are about as low as they will go and now register only minor movements up or down from week to week, based on Steel Market Update’s surveys of the market. Likewise, SMU’s data on negotiations between mills and buyers has reached a similar steady […]
Foreign steel imports from the three regions tracked by Steel Market Update have nearly lost their price advantage over domestic steel, according to our latest foreign versus domestic hot rolled steel price comparison. Foreign HRC prices are now theoretically just $7-80 per ton cheaper than domestic steel, after taking freight costs, trader margins and tariffs […]
Steel prices saw another big drop this week, taking the benchmark price for hot rolled below $1,100 per ton for the first time since January 2021. Cold rolled and coated products registered double-digit declines as well, while plate prices appear to be holding their own, according to Steel Market Update’s check of the market on […]