SMU Survey: Mill lead times remain stable and short
Steel buyers participating in our market survey this week reported stable mill lead times for both sheet and plate steel products.
Steel buyers participating in our market survey this week reported stable mill lead times for both sheet and plate steel products.
Most steel buyers SMU polled this week reported that mills remain willing to negotiate new order pricing.
SMU’s flat-rolled steel prices were mixed this week with slight declines across most products and a modest increase in prices for cold-rolled coil.
Flat rolled = 63.4 shipping days of supply Plate = 52.4 shipping days of supply Flat rolled shipments and inventories Flat-rolled steel supply at US service centers remains seasonally high. October inventories increased after edging lower in September – a dynamic driven largely by disappointing demand. October’s report reflects lower demand and stable lead times […]
Prices for sheet and plate products were mixed this week. While market participants have noted a post-election uptick in activity, most said that it was (so far) nothing to write home about.
After rising to a one-year high in August, the volume of steel that exited the country in September fell 10% month on month (m/m) to 760,000 short tons (st).
September steel imports were 10% less than August levels, marking the lowest monthly import rate seen this year
Most steel buyers polled in our market poll this week continue to report mills are open to negotiation on new order pricing. In fact, negotiation rates have been strong for the majority of 2024, trending higher since September.
SMU price indices edged lower this week for all products but one, marking the fifth consecutive week of overall declining prices.
Next week promises to be a big week for the country. Could even top the World Series (congrats to the Dodgers). As we all hold our breath to see what happens next, it’s a good time to reflect.
Nucor Corp. announced that its plate mill group would cut prices for as-rolled, discrete, and cut-to-length plate with the opening of its December order book.
SMU price indices declined again this week for all products other than hot-rolled sheet. Our indices have trended lower across October, falling as much as $75 per short ton (st) in that time.
US plate prices are at their lowest level in almost four years, and less than half of what they were when they reached an all-time high of $1,940 per short ton (st) in May 2022.
SSAB Americas plans to increase plate prices by at least $60 per short to, according to a letter to customers dated Thursday, Oct. 24. The higher prices are effective immediately for all new non-contract orders scheduled to ship on or after Dec. 2.
More than nine out of every 10 steel buyers polled by SMU this week reported that mills are flexible on prices for new orders. Negotiation rates have been strong since April and on the rise since early September.
Mill lead times have declined on both sheet and plate products this week, according to steel buyers responding to our latest market survey,
Swedish steelmaker SSAB said its weaker third-quarter financial performance was due to muted demand, planned maintenance outages, and the continued decline of US plate prices.
Nucor isn’t overly concerned with low utilization rates or an oversupplied market, as its investment strategy is for the long term, executives reminded investors on Tuesday.
Steel prices ticked lower again this week for most of the products SMU tracks. Our indices have declined as much as $40 per short ton (st) across the last four weeks.
Nucor Corp. has commissioned SMS group to upgrade its Tuscaloosa, Ala., plate mill.
Steel sheet prices mostly edged lower for a second week, while plate prices slipped for the third consecutive week.
The amount of steel exiting the country in August reached the highest monthly rate recorded since August 2023.
Flat rolled = 60.8 shipping days of supply Plate = 52.7 shipping days of supply Flat rolled Flat-rolled steel supply at US service centers declined in September, though still seasonally high. September’s report reflects lower demand, stable lead times, and restocking early in the third quarter at a perceived bottom in prices. At the end […]
August steel imports totaled 2.38 million short tons (st) according to final data released this week by the US Commerce Departmen
Steel mill lead times inched up this week for most sheet and plate products, according to buyers responding to our latest market survey.
Negotiation rates have consistently been in the 70-80% range for over two months, relatively strong in comparison to levels seen across the past year.
Nucor said it would keep plate prices unchanged in a letter to customers on Wednesday. The Charlotte, N.C.-based steelmaker in addition said it was opening its November order book for plate. The company did not specify what its plate price was. It has officially kept prices flat since cutting them by $125 per short ton (st) on July 1.
SMU’s monthly review provides a summary of important steel market metrics for the previous month. This latest report includes data updated through Sept. 30.
Steel prices ticked higher this week for most of the sheet products SMU tracks, back up to highs last recorded in June and July. Meanwhile, plate prices edged lower following three weeks of stability.
Canadian flat-rolled steelmaker Algoma predicts that it will be roughly breakeven on an adjusted EBITDA basis in the second quarter of its fiscal year. The Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario-based company expects adjusted EBIDTA in a range from a gain of $5 million CAD ($3.7 million USD) to a loss of $5 million CAD in fiscal Q2'25.