The US sheet steel market remained stable but sluggish Monday as buyers sought price direction following last week's Thanksgiving holiday. One buyer said he believes the hot-rolled base price is at or close to bottom at about $630/st. Thickness extras, freight and other ancillary items are being discounted to keep base prices firm, he said.
"How much does it cost -- hypothetically -- to slow down a mill to run 16 gauge [coil] when it's not full?" he said. "The whole expense is time on the mill -- but if the mill is running low, there's no real expense. Maybe a little roller wear, but that's hard to quantify as well. Those are free things to give away and make a deal."..............................................Full Article: Source
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