Spot prices for
US domestic
plate have not wavered in the past two weeks, despite other flat products seeing two back-to-back price increase announcements since the end of March. But because
plate producers had already rolled out their own price increase in the early part of last month, it's not clear just yet whether they will take advantage of uptrending scrap prices and push for another increase in the near-term. For now, the most commonly reported spot price transaction prices remain in the approximate range of $41.00-$42.00 cwt. ($904-$926/mt or $820-$840/nt) ex-Midwest mill. Lead times continue to trend out to the middle of June, although order activity has slowed slightly in the past two weeks.
Meanwhile, import offer prices from Turkish and Russian
plate mills have also held neutral since our last report two weeks ago and continue to be offered in the approximate range of $34.00-$35.00 cwt. ($750-$772/mt or $680-$700/nt), DDP loaded truck in
US Gulf ports, and $33.00-$34.00 cwt. ($728-$750/mt or $660-$680/nt), DDP loaded truck in
US Gulf ports, respectively, although traders sources still say they’re only booking tons on an as-needed basis as a means of filling inventory gaps.