Steel Products Prices North America

November 29, 2018
SMU/CRU Webinar: Steel Prices Trending Lower for 2019
Written by Tim Triplett
Both Steel Market Update and the CRU Group forecast lower steel prices next year. With a new North America free trade agreement soon to be signed, the U.S. is likely to lift or modify the Section 232 tariffs on Canada and Mexico, opening the borders to more imports and adding to the downward pressure on prices, said analysts in a joint SMU/CRU webinar yesterday.
Josh Spoores, principal analyst with CRU North America, said steel prices in the United States are down significantly from their mid-year peak, but remain well above global prices. One reason is the 10 percent decline in sheet imports so far this year resulting from the U.S. tariffs.


