US flat rolled producers implemented price increases across the board for September orders; however, as zinc prices are falling and demand is faltering, some US galvanized mills have decreased their extras prices once again, resulting in a price cut for hot dip galvanized (HDG) products.
Officially the domestic base price for HDG products is $61.00 cwt. ($1,345 /mt or $1,220 /nt) or slightly higher depending on the mill; yet transaction prices that mills are actually quoting to customers for spot business are approximately in a range of $55.00 cwt. to $56.00 cwt. ($1,213 /mt to $1,235 /mt or $1,100 /nt to $1,120 /nt).
US Steel lead the industry in a move to decrease extras prices for thickness and coating, and was later followed by other mills.
Regardless if other mills follow that specific price-cut format though, prices in general are trending down due to weak demand, and mills are said to be making many deals. Despite the September increase that mills are trying to push through, transaction prices are actually down from August orders.
Mills' list price for HDG 0.019" x 48" G90 shows spot prices ranging from $69.00 cwt. to $71.00 cwt. ($1,521 /mt to $1,565 /mt or $1,380 /nt to $1,420 /nt) ex-mill Midwest. However, there is a big difference between the mills' quoted price and the actual transaction price. Currently, buyers are said to be paying as low as $66.00 cwt. ($1,455 /mt or $1,320 /nt) ex-mill with some deals even concluded at lower numbers.
Demand for HDG products has weakened over the last two months, and the future outlook is unfortunately not very bright, putting downward pressure on mills to lower prices. As the automotive industry and the residential construction market continue to weaken, HDG prices will most likely weaken as well.
Prices have been softening on the import side also. Offerings from China for HDG 0.019" x 48" G90 have decreased by $4.00 cwt. ($88 /mt or $80 /nt) in the last three weeks in order to compete with the US domestic price. Chinese offers are ranging from $67.00 cwt. to $69.00 cwt. ($1,477 /mt to $1,521 /mt or $1,340 /nt to $1,380 /nt) FOB loaded truck West Coast ports.
For the same size and coating, Taiwan is offering HDG 0.019" x 48" G90 to the US, at $72.00 cwt. to $74.00 cwt. ($1,587 /mt to $1,631 /mt or $1,440 /nt to $1,480 /nt) FOB loaded truck Gulf Coast ports; however, the pricing trend is slightly down as mills are expected to reduce their numbers for their next offering.
Chinese offerings for HDG sized 0.028" x 48" G40 are also down $4.00 cwt. ($88 /mt or $80 /nt) and are now ranging from $60.00 cwt. to $62.00 cwt. ($1,323 /mt to $1,367 /mt or $1,200 /nt to $1,240 /nt) FOB loaded truck West Coast ports.
Offers from India for 0.012" by 40.875" G30 have also fallen by $4.00 cwt. ($88 /mt or $80 /nt). Offerings are now in the range of $68.00 cwt. to $70.00 cwt. ($1,499 /mt to $1,543 /mt or $1,360 /nt to $1,400 /nt) FOB loaded truck Gulf ports.
On the galvalume side of the market, for 0.019" by 48" AZ55 items, domestics are ranging from $70.00 cwt. to $72.00 cwt. ($1,543 /mt to $1,587 /mt or $1,400 /nt to $1,440 /nt) FOB mill. Galvalume prices are negotiable also. As for imports, Taiwanese offers are still in the range of $72.00 cwt. to $74.00 cwt. ($1,587 /mt to $1,631 /mt or $1,440 /nt to $1,480 /nt) FOB loaded truck Gulf and West Coast, though no one is buying at such high numbers. Offering prices from India are similar to those of the Taiwanese mills.