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HRB prices off bottom

The bi-monthly SteelBenchmarker™ United States HRB spot price for December 14 rose 4.0 percent to $575 per metric ton, FOB the mill, after four consecutive falls. The World export HRB price rose 3.4 percent to $519 per ton, FOB the port of export, for the second consecutive increase. The Western European HRB price rose 1.1 percent to $577 per ton (on a Euro basis, it rose 3.9 percent), ex-works, after two consecutive declines. The Chinese HRB ex-works price for Dec. 14 rose 0.9 percent to $457 per ton for the fourth consecutive increase.

The four benchmark prices for hot-rolled band for Dec. 14, 2009 are:

  • U.S.—$575 per metric ton ($522 per net ton), FOB the mill—up $22 per ton from $553 ($502 net) three weeks ago, and up $146 per ton from recent low of $429 ($390 net) on May 25, 2009. It is down $628 (52.2 percent) per ton from the record peak of $1,203 ($1,091 net) on July 28, 2008 and up $345 per ton from the record low of $230 ($209 net) in December 2001.
  • China—$457 per metric ton, ex-works—up $4 per ton from $453 three weeks ago, and up $66 per ton from the recent low of $391 on April 13, 2009. It is down $276 (37.7 percent) per ton from the record peak of $733 on July 14, 2008 and up $210 per ton from the record low of $247 in January 2002.
  • Western Europe—$577 (€396) per metric ton, ex-works—up $6 per ton from $571 (€381) three weeks ago (on a Euro basis, up €15), and up $124 (up €57) per ton from the recent low of $453 (€339) on April 27, 2009. It is down $627 (€360) (52.1 percent) per ton from the record peak of $1,204 (€756) on July 14, 2008 and up $388 (€184) per ton from the record low of $189 (€212) in December 2001.
  • World Export Price—$519 per metric ton, FOB the port of export—up $17 per ton versus $502 three weeks ago, and up $125 per ton from the recent low of $394 on May 11, 2009. It is down $594 (53.4 percent) per ton from the record peak of $1,113 on July 28, 2008 and up $344 per ton from the record low of $175 in December 2001.

SteelBenchmarker™publishes steel benchmark prices for hot-rolled band, cold-rolled coil, rebar and standard plate in the following regions: the U.S., Western Europe, and the world export market. Additionally, there are benchmark prices for steel scrap in the U.S.