Nucor Corp. aims to increase base prices for steel plate by at least $50 per ton ($2.50 per cwt) with the opening of its May order book. The plate increase is the first of its kind for the steelmaker since March 31, 2021, according to SMU’s steel mill price increase calendar. Nucor had repeatedly maintained […]
US plate prices have steadily increased over the past two weeks, largely in response to repeated mill price hikes. The most recent increase came from Cleveland-Cliffs when the steelmaker aimed to increase base prices for steel plate by at least $60 per ton ($3 per cwt). It was Cliffs’ first official plate price notice in […]
The price advantage domestic hot-rolled coil (HRC) had enjoyed over offshore hot band has evaporated as US mills drive prices higher, according to Steel Market Update’s latest foreign vs. domestic price analysis. Nucor and ArcelorMittal last week announced a target price $1,150 per ton ($57.50 per cwt) for HRC. Market contacts have told SMU that some […]
We’ve just seen the biggest week-over-week increase in hot-rolled coil prices since the frenzy following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year. SMU’s hot-rolled coil (HRC) price is up $140 per ton ($7 per cwt) week over week. That’s our biggest such gain since prices jumped $210 per ton in mid-March of last year at the height of […]
Aggressive mill price increases are pushing flat-rolled tags up at a sharp clip, rivaling the spike seen in response to the war in Ukraine last March. On Friday, Nucor came out with yet another notice – up an extra $150 per ton ($7.50 per cwt) and setting a new base price for hot band of […]
A sheet supply squeeze is on and, according to some market participants, chances are it’s only going to get tighter. There is no one thing, a war or pandemic, that’s causing the squeeze this time. Instead, it’s a litany of comparatively smaller events that combined have created some real havoc. You know that list by […]
ArcelorMittal said its new, minimum base price for US hot-rolled coil is $1,150 per ton ($57.50 per cwt). The Luxembourg-based steelmaker said the move was effective immediately and coincided with the closure of its April order book for hot-rolled and tandem products. “The increase is applicable to all new spot orders and all recent quotations […]
Nucor aims to increase base prices for new orders of steel sheet by at least $150 per ton ($7.50 per cwt) effective immediately. The Charlotte, N.C.-based steelmaker also said that its new base price for hot-rolled coil was $1,150 per ton. “We reserve the right to review and re-quote any offers that are not confirmed […]
SMU’s Steel Demand Index indicates that the pace of growth has slowed down when it comes to apparent demand for flat-rolled steel in the US. The index is still above 50, which indicates improving demand. But it is down 6.4 points, following a similar weakening seen in the prior reading in mid-February. The back-to-back declines […]
Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. aims to increase base prices for steel plate by at least $60 per ton ($3 per cwt). The Cleveland-based steelmaker said the move was effective immediately on all new, non-contract orders. It applies equally to as-rolled, normalized, and quenched-and-tempered material, Cliffs said in a press release on Thursday, March 2. “Cliffs also reserves […]
US plate prices have remained mostly flat this week, a trend we’ve seen since Nucor announced a plate price cut in late November. Recall that in late November, Nucor said it would be lowering plate prices by $140 per ton ($7 per cwt) with the opening of its January order book. Plate tags have varied […]
SSAB Americas has announced plans to increase plate prices by at least $60 per ton ($3 per cwt). The price hike applies equally to as-rolled, normalized, quenched-and-tempered, and wide cut-to-length plate products. It is effective immediately on all new, non-contract orders, the company said in a letter to customers on Friday, Feb. 24. SSAB said […]
Nucor Corp. has increased its cost estimate for its new sheet steel mill in West Virginia by ~$400 million. The Charlotte, N.C.-based steelmaker said Feb. 23 that its board approved additional capital for the project. The company now expects a net cash outlay of ~$3.1 billion for the West Virginia electric-arc furnace (EAF) sheet mill, up from $2.7 billion when […]
Nucor Corp. said its Towers & Structures unit will build a new transmission tower production plant in Decatur, Ala. The Charlotte, N.C.-based steelmaker said the plant will be adjacent to the Nucor Steel Decatur sheet steel mill. It is expected to create 200 jobs. In December, the company announced plans to build two tower production plants […]
NLMK USA has announced new, higher base prices for steel sheet. The steelmaker said the higher prices were effectively immediately on all new spot orders and justified by “strong demand and extending lead times,” in a letter to customers on Wednesday, Feb. 22. NLMK USA said that its new minimum base price for hot-rolled coil was […]
Sheet prices are up again. By a lot. For the third time this month. And it’s not over yet! Nucor alone is up more since Thanksgiving ($310/per ton) than they were after the invasion of Ukraine ($275/ton), according to our price increase calendar. We had obvious drivers for the last two big rallies. The snapback […]
Sheet prices increased this week as another blitz of price hikes – this time $100 per ton ($5/cwt) – spurred the market higher. The latest announcements from the likes of Nucor, Cliffs, US Steel, and ArcelorMittal, all setting a new base price for hot band of $1,000 per ton, are yet to be reflected in […]
ArcelorMittal has followed three major domestic mills in increasing sheet prices by at least $100 per ton ($5 per cwt). Luxembourg-based ArcelorMittal, one of the world’s largest steelmakers, also said it was targeting a minimum base price of $1,000 per ton for hot-rolled coil (HRC) effective immediately. That echoes new HRC base prices announced earlier […]
US Steel has joined competitors Nucor and Cleveland-Cliffs in raising base prices for steel sheet by at least $100 per ton ($5 per cwt). The Pittsburgh-based steelmaker said the price hike was effective immediately for all new spot orders in a letter to top sales staff dated Tuesday, Feb. 21. The company said the increases […]
Cleveland-Cliffs didn’t take long to join Nucor in increasing spot prices for steel sheet by at least another $100 per ton ($5 per cwt). The Cleveland-based steelmaker, like Nucor, is also targeting a base price of $1,000 per ton for hot-rolled coil (HRC). Cliffs said the increase was effective immediately and applied equally to all […]
Nucor Corp. is pushing its hot-rolled coil price up by at least another $100 per ton ($5 per cwt), its third sheet price hike in a matter of three weeks. The Charlotte, N.C.-based company, the largest steelmaker in the US, said the move was effective immediately for base prices on new orders. Nucor made the […]
Nucor Corp. will again keep plate prices unchanged with the opening of its April order book. The steelmaker has now repeatedly maintained its plate tags since its sharp price cut in late November when it lowered plate prices by $140 per ton ($7 per cwt). The Charlotte, N.C.-based steelmaker said the move was effective on […]
The “new normal,” we have heard that a whole lot since the pandemic took hold. Are we really seeing a paradigm shift? Or is it just a trendy phrase? But, first, let’s talk about price hikes. If three’s a crowd, then what’s five – a herd? The week got off to a quick start early […]
ArcelorMittal and NLMK USA have followed three major domestic steelmakers in increasing sheet prices by at least $50 per ton ($2.50 per cwt). Luxembourg-based ArcelorMittal said it was targeting a minimum base price of $900 per ton effective immediately, echoing moves first announced by Nucor and Cleveland-Cliffs. “The increase is applicable to all new spot […]
US Steel Corp. got in on the action and increased spot prices for carbon steel sheet by at least $50 per ton ($2.50 per cwt). The move is effective immediately, the company said in a letter to customers dated Monday, Feb.13, and joining Nucor and Cleveland-Cliffs in their efforts to boost sheet tags. The latest price […]
Cleveland-Cliffs has joined Nucor in increasing spot prices for steel sheet by at least another $50 per ton ($2.50 per cwt). The Cleveland-based steelmaker, like Nucor, is also targeting a base price of $900 per ton for hot-rolled cold. Cliffs said the increase was effective immediately and applied equally to all new orders of hot-rolled, […]
Nucor Corp. is pushing hot-rolled coil price up by at least another $50 per ton ($2.50 per cwt), its second sheet price hike in ten days. The Charlotte, N.C.-based company, the largest steelmaker in the US, said the move was effective immediately for base prices on new orders. Nucor made the announcement in a letter to […]
Editor’s note: SMU Contributor Michael D’Angelo is a researcher and trader at Marex. In his role, Mike performs fundamental and quantitative analysis, which directly leads to actionable trading/risk management strategies across the base, precious, and ferrous metals derivative spaces. Prior to joining Marex, Mike received a BA in economics with a minor in finance from […]
SMU polled steel buyers on a variety of subjects on Monday and Tuesday of this week, including current and future steel prices, inventory strategies, supply, demand, and new mill capacity. Rather than summarizing the comments we received, we are sharing some of them in each buyer’s own words. We want to hear your thoughts, too! […]
US plate prices have been largely stable since the beginning of December after tags fell by $140 per ton following Nucor’s price cut notice at the end of November with the opening of it January order book. A move that caught many by surprise at the time. But since then, plate prices have varied by […]