Prices for cold-rolled and galvanized steel sheet have jumped again in the United States, and buyers who need spot material anticipate no near-term relief from domestic mills, where lead times ultimately may be stretching out to the spring of 2021.
Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for steel cold-rolled coil, fob mill US jumped to $53.50 per hundredweight ($1,070 per short ton) on Thursday December 17 from $52 per cwt ($1,040 per ton) on December 10. The assessment has now gained 72.58% since skidding to a year-to-date low of $31 per cwt in mid-August.Fastmarkets' assessment for steel hot-dipped galvanized coil (cold-rolled base), fob mill US climbed for the 19th straight week - to $54 per cwt ($1,080 per ton) on Thursday from $52.50 per cwt ($1,050 per ton) a week earlier. The price has soared by 74.19% during its four-month win streak.Fastmarkets' price assessment for steel hot-dipped galvanized coil (hot-rolled base), fob mill...