HRB spot steel domestic prices strong; world export price slips

SteelBenchmarker™reported that the U.S. hot-rolled band (HRB) spot price for April 9 rose 1.3 percent to $630 per metric ton, FOB the mill for the fifth consecutive rise. The world export HRB price slipped 0.8 percent to $591 per ton, FOB the port of export, after seven consecutive rises. The Chinese HRB ex-works price rose 1.9 percent to $440 per ton, after two consecutive declines. The Western European HRB price rose 0.4 percent to $677 per ton, ex-works, for the ninth time.

The four benchmark prices for hot-rolled band included in the April 9 report are:

• U.S.—$630 per metric ton, FOB the mill—up $8 per ton from $622 two weeks ago but down $68 per ton from the peak of $698 on July 24, 2006.
• World Export Price—$591 per metric ton, FOB the port of export—down $5 per ton from $596 two weeks ago and down $15 per ton from the peak of $610 on June 12, 2006.
• Western Europe— $677 per metric ton, ex-works—up $3 per ton from $674 two weeks ago and up $46 per ton from the previous peak of $631 reached on July 24, 2006.
• China— $440 per metric ton, ex-works—up $8 per ton from $432 two weeks ago and down $24 per ton from the peak of $464 on June 12, 2006.

Twice each month, SteelBenchmarkerpublishes steel benchmark prices for hot-rolled band, cold-rolled coil, rebar, and standard plate in the U.S., Western Europe, mainland China, and the world export market.