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SteelBenchmarker: HRB Prices Continue Ascent
08/14/2013 - The bi-monthly SteelBenchmarker™ price report for 12 August 2013 showed world export, U.S., western Europe and Chinese HRB prices rising between 1.0% and 3.7% from the reading two weeks prior.
The bi-monthly SteelBenchmarker™ World export HRB price for 12 August 2013 surged 3.7% to US$566 per metric ton for the second consecutive time. The United States HRB spot price increased 2.6% to US$720 per metric ton for the fifth consecutive time. The Western European HRB price rose 2.0% to US$600 per metric ton (on a Euro basis, it was up 0.9%) after declining two consecutive times. The Chinese HRB price rose 1.0% to US$497 per metric ton for the third consecutive time.
In its 177th report, the SteelBenchmarker™ released 10 steel product and 3 USA scrap prices. Of these, here are four benchmark prices for hot-rolled band for 12 August 2013:
USA – US$720 per metric metric ton (US$653 per ton), FOB the mill – up US$18 per metric ton from US$702 (US$637 ton) three weeks ago, up US$68 from the recent low of US$652 (US$591 ton) on 22 October 2012 and up US$167 from the low of US$553 per metric ton (US$502 ton) on 23 November 2009. It is down US$250 per metric ton from the recent high of US$970 (US$880 ton) on 28 March 2011 and down US$483 (40.1%) from the record peak of US$1,203 per metric ton (US$1,091 ton) on 28 July 2008.
China – US$497 per metric ton, ex-works – up US$5 per metric ton from US$492 three weeks ago, up US$50 per metric ton from the recent low of US$447 on 10 September 2012 and up US$90 from the low of US$407 per metric ton on 12 October 2009. It is down US$140 per metric ton from the recent high of US$637 on 22 August 2011 and down US$236 (32.2%) from the record peak of US$733 per metric ton on 14 July 2008.
Western Europe – US$600 (€451) per metric ton, ex-works – up US$12 per metric ton from US$588 (€447) three weeks ago (on a Euro basis, it was up €4), up US$9 (down €14) from the recent low of US$591 (€465) on 12 November 2012 and up US$29 (up €70) from the low of US$571 (€381) per metric ton on 23 November 2009. It is down US$252 (€154) per metric ton from the recent high of US$852 (€605) on 28 March 2011 and down US$604 (50.2%) (€305) (40.3%) from the record peak of US$1,204 (€756) per metric ton on 14 July 2008.
World Export Price – US$566 per metric ton, FOB the port of export – up US$20 per metric ton from US$546 three weeks ago, up US$34 from the recent low of US$532 on 8 October 2012 and up US$70 from the low of US$496 per metric ton on 9 November 2009. It is down US$236 per metric ton from the recent high of US$802 on 14 February 2011 and down US$547 (49.1%) from the record peak of US$1,113 per metric ton on 28 July 2008.
