The most commonly heard spot market price for US domestic hollow structural sections (HSS) tubing continues to hold at approximately $48-$50 cwt. ($1058-$1102/mt or $960-$1000/nt), ex-mill, but sources close to SteelOrbis think that mills may push for another price increase within the next month.
“Our business has been very good since last November, and although we had seen a slight slowdown in the last few weeks, which hasn’t been anything to panic about, we expect that things are going to pick back up now that the 232 investigation has been shelved,” a source said.
In terms of imports, one trader source said he has heard that Korean material was recently offered to US buyers “at a good price.”
Koreans mills were reportedly offering through 12 square feet at $31-$33 cwt. ($683-$728/mt or $620-$660/nt), DDP loaded truck in US Gulf Coast ports as of July and the source said he expects there were “a bunch of takers.”