Analysts are not surprised by pullbacks in the benchmark hot-rolled sheet in coil (HRC) steel price as a result of weak end-use demand, comments Tom Stundza for Purchasing. Production has increased to almost 62% of capacity despite August U.S. steel mill shipments being down 37% from last year.
In a survey of steel buyers, 77% of participants think current inventory levels are sufficient for one or two months and 76% don’t plan on increasing steel orders. Over the next month, 24% expect incoming orders to decline, and 46% expect incoming orders to decline in the next three months. (For more information on steel, visit our steel category.)
Fore more information on industrial metals, visit our industrial metals category.
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Max Chen contributed to this article.