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HRB prices rise slightly in China, trend downward elsewhere

The bi-monthly SteelBenchmarker™ Chinese HRB ex-works price for April 9 increased 0.2 percent to $583 per ton for the sixth consecutive increase. The U.S. spot HRB price decreased 0.5 percent to $759 per metric ton, FOB the mill, after three consecutive rises and unchanged two weeks ago. The World export HRB price decreased 1.5 percent to $645 per ton, FOB the port of export, for the second consecutive decrease. The Western European HRB price decreased 1.6 percent to $680 per ton (on a Euro basis, it was flat), ex-works, for the third consecutive decline.

The four benchmark prices for HRB for April 9, 2012 are:

  • U.S.—$759 per metric ton ($688 per net ton), FOB the mill—down $4 per ton from $763 ($692 net) two weeks ago, but up $50 per ton from the recent low of $709 ($643 net) on Nov. 14, 2011. It is down $207 per ton from the recent high of $970 ($880 net) on March 28, 2011 and down $444 (36.9 percent) per ton from the record peak of $1,203 ($1,091 net) on July 28, 2008.
  • China—$583 per metric ton, ex-works—up $1 per ton from $582 two weeks ago and up $101 per ton from the recent low of $482 on July 12, 2010. It is down $54 per ton from the recent high of $637 on August 22, 2011 and down $150 (20.5 percent) from the record peak of $733 on July 14, 2008.
  • Western Europe—$680 (€518 per metric ton, ex-works—down $11 per ton from $691 (€518) two weeks ago (on a Euro basis, it was unchanged), up $12 (up €24) from the recent low of $668 (€494) on Nov. 22, 2010. It is down $172 (€87) from the recent high of $852 (€605) on March 28, 2011 and down $524 (€238) (43.5 percent) per ton from the record peak of $1,204 €756) on July 14, 2008.
  • World Export Price—$645 per metric ton, FOB the port of export—down $10 per ton from $655 two weeks ago and up $33 per ton from the recent low of $612 on Nov. 28, 2011. It is down $128 per ton from the recent high of $773 on Feb. 28, 2011 and down $468 (42.0 percent) per ton from the record peak of $1,113 on July 28, 2008.

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.