The most commonly heard spot price transaction range for US domestic hollow structural sections (HSS) tubing has continued to hold steady since our last report two weeks ago, at $46-$48 cwt. ($1014-$1058/mt or $920-$960/nt), ex-mill, but sources close to SteelOrbis believe that a price increase announcement is imminent.
“We are expecting an increase on HSS in the next day or two,” one source said. “Our HSS business has been very good. I look for the tube mills to go up $1.50-$2.00 cwt. ($33-$44/mt or $30-$40/nt) anytime now. I think, with everything that’s going on in the market with demand, scrap and hot rolled prices, that there’s enough momentum for the next round of price increases to stick.”
Another source agrees. “I definitely think the next increase will stick and that there could be more price increases after that,” he said.