US traders continue to show increased willingness to book tons of hot dipped galvanized (HDG) sheets and strip from offshore producers, especially since US domestic producers’ profit margins are starting to tick upward. Scrap and iron ore prices are down, but when it comes to base-price HDG coil, US spot prices have remained level, although “they’re being a bit more flexible on coating extras, because they can, and will still make money.” And, as one Texas-based source put it “when mills are doing well and making money, dumping suits get delayed because they can’t exactly cry financial injury.”
In terms of prices, offers have held steady since our last report a week ago, as “everyone just seems to be trucking along toward the end of the year.”
| Import HDG offers to the US | Cwt. | Metric ton (mt) | Net ton (nt) | Change from last week |
| 0.012”x40.875” G30 | ||||
| China* | $42.00-$43.00 | $926-$950 | $840-$860 | neutral |
| India* | $42.00-$43.00 | $926-$950 | $840-$860 | neutral |
| 0.019" x 48" G90 | ||||
| China* | $39.50-$40.50 | $871-$893 | $790-$810 | neutral |
| India* | $43.25-$44.25 | $953-$976 | $865-$885 | neutral |
| Import Galvalume offers to the US | ||||
| 0.019x41.5625 Gr80/AZ55 | ||||
| China* | $43.00-$44.00 | $948-$970 | $860-$880 | neutral |
| India* | $43.00-$44.00 | $948-$970 | $860-$880 | neutral |
| Brazil | $40.50-$41.50 | $892-$914 | $810-830 | neutral |
| *DDP loaded truck in US Gulf ports |