Markets in USA & Canada

摘要

It has been a good year for price rises so far, better than expected, but the run may be coming to an end. Coil mills achieved some increases in April, but not the increase they wanted. As the dust cleared at the end of the month HR coil prices were only about 50c/UScwt (11 dollars/tonne) higher than in the first quarter. Ordinary US-origin material commands 28.50 dollars/UScwt (628 dollars/tonne), with some deals above this price, a little short of prices a year ago. Moreover, the HR coil is reckoned to be stronger than downstream products just now. CR coil prices have slipped back a little from first quarter levels, with ample tonnage said to be available for 32 dollars/UScwt (705 dollars/tonne). Coated coil is to some extent still riding on the high price of zinc, and has returned to a margin of 7 dollars/UScwt (154 dollars/tonne) over ordinary CR coil. Domestic steelmakers are, however, so impressed by the rapid increases in prices in the first quarter that they are disregarding the slowdown and have suggested that the HR coil market will level out at 30 dollars/UScwt (661 dollars/tonne). So far they have been unwilling to accept that prices have levelled out already.