Chinese and Western European HRB Prices at Four-and-a-Half Year Highs

Steel

Chinese and Western European hot rolled band (HRB) prices surged higher in the two weeks to 13 September, rising by $26/t each to $551/t and $645/t, respectively, according to the latest SteelBenchmarker from World Steel Dynamics. They are now both at their highest levels since February 2013. There was a more modest $8/t increase in the US domestic price for HRB over the same period. At $702/t the US price remains below the year-to-date high of $713/t, achieved in April, however, it is still more than $60/t above the year-ago level.