Spot market pricing within the US domestic hollow structural sections market has ticked upward since the first week of the month on the heels of price firming seen within the US hot rolled coil market.
Flats mills’ sweeping price increases are “well on their way to full acceptance,” sources note, adding that the result has been higher US HSS pricing as well.
Prices have firmed by $1.50 cwt. ($33/mt or $30/nt) in the past two weeks, which brings the current average spot market price to $50.50 cwt. ($1113/mt or $1010/nt), ex-mill.
“The mills are holding reasonably firm, although they are coming off that hard line if someone is booking a larger-sized order,” a source said. “There is already a lot of talk that another flats increase will be pushed out in February and if that materializes that increase will be passed into HSS pricing. Demand is pretty good, and it’s looking like this run up will continue through at least the end of the first quarter.”