Tag: prices

Many people have shaken off the post-holiday blues. But for primary aluminum operators, “power blues” are enduring.

The price premium of galvanized coil over hot-rolled (HR) coil has continued to narrow, a downward trend seen for the past seven months. As of this week, the spread between these two products has reached an 18-month low.

On Monday and Tuesday of this week, SMU polled steel buyers on an array of topics, ranging from market prices, demand, and inventories to imports and evolving market events.

Steel prices ticked lower this week for four of the five products SMU tracks, according to our latest canvass of the sheet and plate markets. Following last week’s bump, our hot rolled, cold rolled, galvanized, and plate indices all edged lower this week by $5-15 per short ton (st) on average. Galvalume was the only […]

Both SMU Steel Buyers' Sentiment Indices remain in positive territory, indicating that steel buyers are optimistic about the success of their businesses.

Steel buyers say mills remain open to negotiation on sheet and plate spot prices this week, slightly more so than in mid-December, according to our most recent survey results.

Steel prices didn't start the new year with a bang - but they didn't bust, either, according to SMU's first survey of 2025. On the sheet side, market participants generally predicted that prices should move higher this year on the coated trade petition and the potential for tariffs under President-elect Trump. But most buyer sources weren’t eager to load up given the uncertain timing and scope of the potential tariffs. They also cited increasing domestic capacity and modest demand.

Nucor said on Monday, Dec. 30, that it was keeping its spot base price for hot-rolled sheet this week at $750 per short ton (st).

And just like that, we’re wrapping up the last SMU newsletter of 2024. We’re closing out our 19th year and looking with wide-eyed anticipation to what 2025 will bring.

Steel buyers of sheet and plate products say mills are still willing to bend on spot pricing this week, though not quite as much as they were two weeks prior, according to our most recent survey data.

We have seen very little change in sheet and plate prices across the past month.

Cleveland-Cliffs plans to increase prices for hot-rolled (HR) coil to $800 per short ton (st). Cliffs said the increase announcement coincides with the opening of its February order book for both contract and spot tons of HR.

On Monday and Tuesday of this week, SMU polled steel buyers on an array of topics, ranging from market prices, demand, and inventories to imports and evolving market events.

Steel prices have remained relatively stable in recent weeks, though they have generally trended downward since October.

This week, the spread between SMU's hot rolled and galvanized indices is only a few dollars away from a 16-month low.

Steel sheet prices remain at or near multi-month lows, while plate prices continue edging lower from their mid-2022 peak.

SMU’s Monthly Review provides a summary of important steel market metrics for the previous month. Our latest report includes data updated through November 30th.

Cleveland-Cliffs has officially had spot HRC prices at $750/st since mid-September.

SMU's price indices saw minor fluctuations on sheet products this week, while our plate and Galvalume indices held steady.

US plate prices are at their lowest level in nearly four years and mills continue to do what they can to limit the bleeding. Domestic prices are now just a fraction of their all-time high of $1,940 per short ton (st) reached in May 2022, and trending lower.

On Monday, Nucor published new extras effective Jan, 4, 2025.

Steel Market Update’s Steel Demand Index recovered by nearly 10 points last week, though it still remains in contraction territory.

Prices were stable to down in November for all seven steelmaking raw materials tracked by SMU, according to our latest analysis.

Following months of fluctuations, SMU’s Steel Buyers’ Sentiment Indices rebounded this week, now at multi-month highs. Both of our Indices remain in positive territory and indicate that steel buyers are optimistic about the success of their businesses.

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.

Nucor’s weekly consumer spot price (CSP) for hot-rolled (HR) coil was unchanged week on week (w/w) at $750 per short ton (st) on Monday, Nov. 18.

In this Premium analysis we cover North American oil and natural gas prices, drilling rig activity, and crude oil stock levels. Trends in energy prices and rig counts are an advance indicator of demand for oil country tubular goods (OCTG), line pipe and other steel products.

No more excuses! The election is over. Donald Trump will be inaugurated on Monday January 20 with the Republican party in control of Congress. Now, it is time to get back to work!

Earlier this week, SMU polled steel buyers on an array of topics, ranging from market prices, demand, and inventories to imports and evolving market events. Rather than summarizing the comments we collected, we are sharing some of them in each buyer’s own words.