[Ferro-Alloys.com] According to data of American Iron and Steel Institute, in the week ending on October 17, 2020, US domestic raw steel production was 1,535,000 net tons while the capability utilization rate was 69.4 percent. Production was 1,805,000 net tons in the week ending October 17, 2019 while the capability utilization then was 78.0 percent. The current week production represents a 15.0 percent decrease from the same period in the previous year. Production for the week ending October 17, 2020 is up 2.2 percent from the previous week ending October 10, 2020 when production was 1,502,000 net tons and the rate of capability utilization was 67.9 percent.

As the market enters the final few months of 2020, US flat-rolled steel mills sit in a much better position than they were just two months ago.

Spot prices for hot-rolled coil (HRC) steel hit $650/short ton (st) this week as assessed by Argus, spot steel availability for November is limited as mill lead times stretch into December, and buyers clamor for whatever tons they can secure. Prices for value-add products like cold-rolled coil (CRC) and hot-dipped galvanized (HDG) steel topped $800/st as lead times stretch into 2021.

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