Market conditions, worldwide, have not improved since our last investigation in November. The short term future for this sector of the steel industry appears to be in the hands of the producers. Output cuts by the mills continue in Japan, US and EU.Hot Rolled Coil And PlateThe US market for hot strip is extremely slow. However, the domestic suppliers have made some production cutbacks and thus prevented any further price erosion. Quarto plate demand is satisfactory but values are depressed. Agreed basis prices for all hot rolled products slay at the numbers reported in November. Alloy surcharges decreased by 20 US dollars per tonne for grade 304 this month. They are expected to revert to the October level in January.
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