US domestic hot dipped galvanized and Galvalume coil prices have firmed slightly since our last report a week ago on the heels of mills’ latest round of increase announcements.
Prices are up by approximately $1.00 cwt. ($22/mt or $20/nt) “across the board” since last week, however sources close to SteelOrbis say that the bulk of transactions seem to be taking place in the middle of the below ranges, which is now notably the top-end of prices reported a week ago.
The question as to whether higher prices can sustain in the long term has yet to be answered, especially due to early indicators suggesting domestic scrap prices are likely to settle at sideways during this month’s buy cycle. Also of note, is service centers’ flurry of order activity that took place in late-August/early September, which helped extend lead times and push up prices. As the steel begins to arrive in the upcoming weeks, it’s uncertain whether service centers will continue to place large-scale orders with domestic producers, or whether they’ll back away from the market until they need to restock.
On the other hand, lead times are being heard at a robust 12 weeks, and some sources have said that order activity is still strong.
This weeks’ HDG and Galvalume coil prices are listed in the chart below.
| Product | $/cwt | $/mt | $/nt | Delivery | Weekly change |
| US domestic HDG base price | $39-$41 | $860-$904 | $780-$820 | ex-mill | up $1.00 cwt. |
| US domestic Galvalume base price | $39-$41 | $860-$904 | $780-$820 | ex-mill | up $1.00 cwt. |
| 0.019x41.5625 Gr80/AZ55 | $49-$51 | $1,080-$1,124 | $980-$1,020 | ex-mill | up $1.00 cwt on the top end |