World export and Western Europe HRB prices up slightly; flat in China, down in U.S.

The bi-monthly SteelBenchmarker™ World export HRB price for April 23 increased 0.9 percent to $651 per ton, FOB the port of export, after falling two consecutive times. The Western European HRB price increased 0.1 percent to $681 per ton (on a Euro basis, it was down 0.2 percent), ex-works, after falling three consecutive times. The Chinese HRB ex-works price remained flat at $583 per ton after six consecutive increases. The U.S. spot HRB price decreased 0.7 percent to $754 per metric ton, FOB the mill, after being unchanged last time.

The four benchmark prices for HRB for April 23, 2012 are:

• U.S.—$754 per metric ton ($684 per net ton), FOB the mill—down $5 per ton from $759 ($688 net) two weeks ago, but up $45 per ton from the recent low of $709 ($643 net) on Nov. 14, 2011. It is down $216 per ton from the recent high of $970 ($880 net) on March 28, 2011 and down $449 (37.3 percent) per ton from the record peak of $1,203 ($1,091 net) on July 28, 2008.
• China—$583 per metric ton, ex-works—flat with $583 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—$681 (€517 per metric ton, ex-works—up $1 per ton from $680 (€518) two weeks ago (on a Euro basis, it was dwon €1), up $13 (up €23) from the recent low of $668 (€494) on Nov. 22, 2010. It is down $171 (€88) from the recent high of $852 (€605) on March 28, 2011 and down $523 (€239) (43.4 percent) per ton from the record peak of $1,204 €756) on July 14, 2008.
• World Export Price—$651 per metric ton, FOB the port of export—up $6 per ton from $645 two weeks ago and up $39 per ton from the recent low of $612 on Nov. 28, 2011. It is down $122 per ton from the recent high of $773 on Feb. 28, 2011 and down $462 (41.5 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.