The recent US HSS price increase has, for the most part, continued to stick.
As with last week, prices are holding in the range of $53-$54 cwt. ($1,169-$1,191/mt or $1,060-$1,080/nt), ex-mill, although sources are indicating that deals for volume are available to select customers.
Sources say that price volatility seen in recent months has been a lot to handle, especially for those who are trying to cost-average their inventory.
“If we could stabilize and go up or down $1.00 cwt. ($22/mt or $20/nt), that would be good,” a source said. “I think that last year, when tubing shot up to over $60 cwt. ($1,323/mt or $1,200/nt), it was just too high. No one thought that those prices were sustainable,” a source said.
Another source agreed. “Demand is still pretty good, and we’ve had a good few months.”
Year-over-year pricing is relatively stable; in late February 2018, SteelOrbis reported that spot market prices for US HSS tubing was trending in the range of $52.00-$53.00 cwt. ($1,146-$1,168/mt or $1,040-$1,060/nt), ex-mill.