Steel Products Prices North America
December 15, 2019
Will Steel Prices Keep Trending Up Into 2020?
Written by Tim Triplett
After declining for much of 2019, steel prices have moved up substantially in the last two months. Will the trend continue into 2020?
Flat rolled steel producers raised prices three times during October and November for a total of $110 per ton. (Editor’s note: ArcelorMittal USA announced an additional $40 flat rolled increase on Friday. Other mills are likely to follow, making for the fourth round of increases this year.) Likewise, plate producers also announced three increases, raising prices by a total of $130 per ton. Just because they announce higher prices does not mean the mills will be able to collect them. That depends on what the market will bear and how much support they get from distributors (see chart below). But without doubt, the increases have moved the market.
