In The First Quarter of 2023 The US Cold Rolled Coil Prices
North America
In the first quarter of 2023, the
US Cold
Rolled Coil Prices saw an unprecedented surge in prices as mills
attempted to push prices up due to a tight market and longer lead times. Supply
constraints were exacerbated by planned outages and failed mill ramp-ups,
prompting steelmakers to take command of output levels. Steelmakers tightened
their grip on production levels, dropping capacity utilization rates below 80%.
However, demand dynamics remained at a lower level despite rising prices,
making buyers hesitant to make forward purchases. The market reacted sluggishly
to the price hike announcement, and spot inquiries dwindled as buyers attempted
to determine whether a peak had been reached. CRC lead times reached an
all-time high at the end of March, but the increased lead times did not appear
to increase demand or allow mills to reserve more expensive spot tonnes. As a
result, buyers continued to assess their order books and limit contract
purchases to manage their inventories as the price cycle continued downward. As
a ripple effect, the CR Coil (1 mm) prices for Ex Midwest are assessed at USD
1230/MT.
Asia Pacific
In the first quarter of 2023, the
Chinese market witnessed an upsurge in Cold Rolled Coil prices due to rising
downstream automotive inquiries and fluctuating raw material prices. However,
weak market fundamentals and a challenging macroeconomic environment compelled
prices to remain volatile ahead of the Spring Festival celebrations.
Additionally, the ongoing property sector recession and slow growth in
manufactured exports affected Cold Rolled Coil consumption. Domestic Cold
Rolled Coil mills enjoyed price advantages against rising overseas Steel
Plate Prices since January, resulting in their
eagerness to accept overseas orders, and some had received so many that their
production would last until March. However, terminal demand grew more slowly
due to dropping prices and weather conditions. The Cold Rolled Coil output increased
this quarter as the maintenance impact faded. At the end of Q1, the fall in
total inventory and social inventory narrowed while in-plant inventory climbed.
Falling CRC prices led to terminal refilling, resulting in a decrease in
inventories. The CR Coil (SPCC-1 mm) prices for Ex Tianjin are currently fixed
at USD 735/MT due to the ripple effect.
Europe
In Q1 2023, the European Cold
Rolled Coil market experienced an uptrend in prices. Domestic manufacturers
maintained high offers for cold-rolled, citing good order books and limited
availability. However, buyers resisted higher prices due to still-slow end-user
demand. Steelmakers offered second-quarter production material after selling
out of the first-quarter rolling coil. Some mills in Germany and Italy reduced
the availability of CRC by no longer offering the material. Despite buyer
skepticism about the sustainability of the positive trend and limited trading
activity, European steelmakers insisted on higher prices for the raw material
hot-rolled coil. Steel mills producing CRC ran at reduced rates in mid-Q1,
keeping the market balanced. Most mills in Europe offer May-June delivery CRC
coil, while some German mills were sold out for June delivery. The current CRC
scarcity persisted at the end of the first quarter of 2023 due to Acciaierie
d'Italia production challenges, Tata Steel disruptions, no import bids from
Turkey, and uncompetitive Asian prices. As a ripple effect, the CR Coil (1 mm)
prices for Ex Ruhr were fixed at USD 1060/MT.
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