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SteelBenchmarker: HRB Prices Falter

The United States HRB spot price rose 0.3% to US$736 per metric tonne for the fourth consecutive time. The Chinese HRB price fell 1.2% to US$476 per tonne after rising last time. The Western European HRB price fell 1.6% to US$601 per tonne (on a Euro basis, it fell 2.4%) after being flat last time.
 
In its 184th report, the SteelBenchmarker released 10 steel product and 3 USA scrap prices. Of these, here are four benchmark prices for hot-rolled band for 25 November 2013:
 
USA – US$736 per metric tonne (US$668 per net ton), FOB the mill — up US$2 per tonne from US$734 (US$666 ton) two weeks ago, up US$84 from the recent low of US$652 (US$591 ton) on 22 October 2012 and up US$183 from the low of US$553 per tonne (US$502 ton) on 23 November 2009. It is down US$234 per tonne from the recent high of US$970 (US$880 ton) on 28 March 2011 and down US$467 (38.8%) from the record peak of US$1,203 per tonne (US$1,091 ton) on 28 July 2008.
 
China – US$476 per metric tonne, ex-works — down US$6 per tonne from US$482 two weeks ago, up US$29 per tonne from the recent low of US$447 on 10 September 2012 and up US$69 from the low of US$407 per tonne on 12 October 2009. It is down US$161 per tonne from the recent high of US$637 on 22 August 2011 and down US$257 (35.1%) from the record peak of US$733 per tonne on 14 July 2008.
 
Western Europe – US$601 (€443) per metric tonne, ex-works – down US$10 per tonne from US$611 (€454) two weeks ago (on a Euro basis, it was down €11), up US$10 (down €22) from the recent low of US$591 (€465) on 12 November 2012 and up US$30 (up €62) from the low of US$571 (€381) per tonne on 23 November 2009.  It is down US$251 (€162) per tonne from the recent high of US$852 (€605) on 28 March 2011 and down US$603 (50.1%) (€313) (41.4%) from the record peak of US$1,204 (€756) per tonne on 14 July 2008.
 
World Export Price – US$559 per metric tonne, FOB the port of export – up US$2 per tonne from US$557 two weeks ago, up US$27 from the recent low of US$532 on 8 October 2012 and up US$63 from the low of US$496 per tonne on 9 November 2009. It is down US$243 per tonne from the recent high of US$802 on 14 February 2011 and down US$554 (49.8%) from the record peak of US$1,113 per tonne on 28 July 2008.