The most commonly heard spot market price for base-price US domestic hot dipped galvanized (HDG) has declined by $1.50 cwt. ($33/mt or $30/nt) on the top end since our last report a week ago, as multiple sources close to SteelOrbis are reporting that deals are being made, adding that some buyers are booking orders up to $1.00 cwt. ($22/mt or $20/nt) below the current average range. Prices for some grades, however, have gone up due to coating extras.
“HDG coil is the weakest of the flats products at the moment and the mills are wanting, and needing, to get their lead times out into the middle of January, so they’re not being as firm on pricing as they’d like people to believe,” a source said.
Also of note is the persistent rumor of a pending price increase announcement, which many believe could come as soon as the end of this week. However, sources say it’s unlikely that mills will succeed in pushing prices upward until lead times improve.
“We don’t think that prices will change much before the end of the year,” another source said. “But come January, when inventories and import arrivals will be thin, I think the mills will be primed for a market run.”
| Cwt. | Metric Ton (mt) | Net ton (nt) | Change from last week | |
| US domestic HDG base price | $37-$38 | $816-$838 | $740-$760 | down $1.50 cwt on the top end |
| 0.012”x40.875” G30 | ||||
| ex-Midwest mill | $46-$48 | $1014-$1058 | $920-$960 | up $0.50 cwt. |
| 0.019”x48” G90 | ||||
| ex-Midwest mill | $47-$49 | $1036-$1080 | $940-$980 | up $1.50 cwt. |
| US domestic Galvalume base price | ||||
| ex-Midwest mill | $37-$38 | $816-$838 | $740-$760 | down $1.50 cwt on the top end |
| 0.019x41.5625 Gr80/AZ55 | ||||
| ex-Midwest mill | $46-$48 | $1014-$1058 | $920-$960 | up $0.50 cwt. |