Steel Products Prices North America
April 10, 2022
Hot Rolled vs Plate Prices: Ballooning Spread Eases from March Peak
Written by Brett Linton
Plate prices have remained relatively steady while sheet prices declined and then surged over the past six months. Plate prices typically carry a premium over hot rolled prices because plate is a value-added product and requires more time on the mill.
SMU’s hot rolled coil price averaged $1,460 per ton ($73 per cwt) last week and has risen each of the past five weeks. Recall our index had reached a 14-month low of $1,000 per ton in the first week of March, following a record-high $1,955 per ton in September 2021. Our latest plate index averaged $1,885 per ton last week, up $40 per ton from the week prior and up $70 per ton from a month ago. Plate prices have been stable compared to sheet prices, with our plate index remaining between $1,775 and $1,885 over the past six months.
