SteelBenchmarker: Most HRB Prices Move Upward
07/26/2013 - The bi-monthly SteelBenchmarker™ report shows China, U.S. and World export HRB prices moving upwards, but Western Europe HRB prices moving down slightly.
The bi-monthly SteelBenchmarker™ Chinese HRB price for 22 July rose 2.3% to $492 per metric ton for the second consecutive time. The World export HRB price rose 2.2% to $546 per metric ton after falling nine consecutive times. The United States HRB spot price increased 0.6% to $702 per metric ton for the fourth consecutive time. The Western European HRB price slipped 0.3% to $588 per metric ton (on a Euro basis, it was down 1.5%) for the second consecutive time.
In its 176th report, the SteelBenchmarker released 9 steel product and 3 USA scrap prices. Of these, here are four benchmark prices for hot-rolled band for 22 July 2013:
USA – $702 per metric metric ton ($637 per ton), FOB the mill – up $4 per metric ton from $698 ($633 ton) two weeks ago, up $50 from the recent low of $652 ($591 ton) on 22 October 2012 and up $149 from the low of $553 per metric ton ($502 ton) on 23 November 2009. It is down $268 per metric ton from the recent high of $970 ($880 ton) on 28 March 2011 and down $501 (41.6%) from the record peak of $1,203 per metric ton ($1,091 ton) on 28 July 2008.
China – $492 per metric metric ton, ex-works – up $11 per metric ton from $481 two weeks ago, up $45 per metric ton from the recent low of $447 on 10 September 2012 and up $85 from the low of $407 per metric ton on 12 October 2009. It is down $145 per metric ton from the recent high of $637 on 22 August 2011 and down $241 (32.9%) from the record peak of $733 per metric ton on 14 July 2008.
Western Europe – $588 (€447)e per metric ton, ex-works – down $2 per metric ton from $590 (€454) two weeks ago (on a Euro basis, it was down €7), down $3 (down €18) from the recent low of $591 (€465) on 12 November 2012 and up $17 (up €66) from the low of $571 (€381) per metric ton on 23 November 2009. It is down $264 (€158) per metric ton from the recent high of $852 (€605) on 28 March 2011 and down $616 (51.2%) (€309) (40.9%) from the record peak of $1,204 (€756) per metric ton on 14 July 2008.
World Export Price – $546 per metric ton, FOB the port of export – up $12 per metric ton from $534 two weeks ago, up $14 from the recent low of $532 on 8 October 2012 and up $50 from the low of $496 per metric ton on 9 November 2009. It is down $256 per metric ton from the recent high of $802 on 14 February 2011 and down $567 (50.9%) from the record peak of $1,113 per metric ton on 28 July 2008.
