Reportedly, AK Steel announced to raise the steel sheet spot prices on this Monday due to high production costs and rising demand.

Among them, the prices of cold rolled coil (CRC), hot rolled coil (HRC) have increased by US$50/short ton; that of coated steel plate has soared by US$60/short tons.

Meanwhile, Severstal North America hiked the spot prices of steel sheet by US$20~US$30/short tons in last week.

In fact, the US steel mills have continued raising the steel prices in the recent two months and the total price hike for HRC has exceeded US$100/short ton.

However, industry sources indicated that the US spot market might remain weak and steel mills might fail to raise the prices, considering to the actual market demand from downstream users.

It’s said that US steel mills’ ex-factory prices were US$30~US$40/short ton higher than the spot prices after the price hike; moreover, it was US$100/short ton higher than overseas materials.