New import offers out of some common offshore sources for hot dipped galvanized (HDG) and Galvalume products have increased, but US import activity is still only moderate. Even with US domestic spot prices increasing consistently over the last month, US buyers are not rushing to hedge buy imports, especially with some sources aiming to raise offer prices in line with US spots. Mexican HDG 0.012"x40.875" G30 offer prices have increased $1.00 cwt. ($22/mt or $20/nt) in the last week and are now between $41.00-$42.00 cwt. ($904-$926/mt or $820-$840/nt) DDP loaded truck delivered into Houston. Meanwhile, Mexican Galvalume 0.019x41.5625 Gr80/AZ55 offer prices are still in the range of $41.00-$42.00 cwt. DDP loaded truck delivered into Houston, but offers are now almost exclusively on the very top of that range. For now, trader sources have said that the mills are trying to hold prices firm, but if activity levels aren't strong enough, they may soon be open to negotiation.
Other Galvalume offers are coming from Korea; with Taiwan sold out through February, some traders have opted for other import sources. Korean offer prices of $42.00-$43.00 cwt. ($926-$948/mt or $840-$860/nt) DDP loaded truck in US Gulf ports are within the same range as the most recent Taiwanese prices. China is also attempting a price increase, raising all CFR offer prices on flat steel prices for the US by $10/mt last week, bringing new Chinese HDG 0.019" x 48" G90 import offer sales prices to $44.50-$45.50 cwt. ($981-$1,003/mt or $890-$910/nt) DDP loaded truck in US Gulf ports. The new price range is much too high for most US buyers to consider, especially with lower Indian prices available.
| Cwt. | Metric ton (mt) | Net ton (nt) | Change from last week | |
| Import HDG offers to the US | ||||
| 0.012"x40.875" G30 | ||||
| Mexico** | $41-$42 | $904-$926 | $820-$840 | ↑ $1.00 cwt. |
| China* | $40.50-$41.50 | $893-$915 | $810-$830 | newly offered |
| India* | $40.50-$41.50 | $893-$915 | $810-$830 | neutral |
| 0.019" x 48" G90 | ||||
| China* | $44.50-$45.50 | $981-$1,003 | $890-$910 | ↑ $0.50 cwt. |
| India* | $41-$42 | $904-$926 | $820-$840 | neutral |
| Import Galvalume offers to the US | ||||
| 0.019x41.5625 Gr80/AZ55 | ||||
| Mexico** | $41-$42 | $904-$926 | $820-$840 | neutral |
| Korea* | $42-$43 | $926-$948 | $840-$860 | newly offered |
**DDP loaded truck delivered into Houston