Key data from the pricing sessions in the United States, Europe and Asia for the week ended Friday February 7.
United States
Key drivers
Prices in the US increased for the first time since February 2018, with suppliers raising their offer prices, partly due to reduced global supply of cheap material from China as a result of logistical issues stemming from the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). Separately, other suppliers with low-priced material were said to have raised their prices, deeming their earlier offers unsustainably low. All reported trades were conducted in a tight, higher range, but some buyers say they remain heavily supplied from annually contracted material.Key quotes"Replacement costs are...