The most commonly heard spot price transaction range for US domestic hollow structural sections (HSS) tubing is still trending between $48-$49 cwt. ($1058-$1080/mt or $960-$980/nt), ex-mill, but sources close to SteelOrbis have indicated that prices are firming within that range.
A growing number of transactions are taking place at $49 cwt. ($1080/mt or $980/nt), sources note, adding that firmed US domestic scrap prices and US HRC lead times that have begun to extend into the first month of 2018 all point to upward pricing momentum.
“Spot market pricing for the first half of 2018 looks pretty bullish from where we’re standing,” a source said. “We’re trying to buy what we can now in hopes that we can get ahead of that pricing curve.”