According to the Japan Iron&Steel Federation,in the steel market of the USA,prices of hot-rolled,cold rolled and hot-dip galvanized steel sheets/coils rose by USD 30 to 40 from the previous month.Price rise of flat products from the previous month was for the first time in 3 months since August this year.Prices of steel plates are reported to have dropped by nearly USD 50 from the previous month.

AK Steel announced to raise its prices of carbon steel sheets by 4 times from July in order to put a brake on price down but in vain and again on the 5th try by USD 50 across the board in November which were accepted.Nucor and ArcelorMittal followed it.The US mills seem to have succeeded in price increase.Coming into December,US Steel NLMK and so on raised their prices of flat products by USD 20 for distributors.Owing to these efforts of price increase,prices of HR coils and so on seem to have recovered the USD 700 mark.Those of CR sheets are said to have also returned to the level of USD 800.Those of plates seem to show a feeling of ceasing to fall in December.

As for long products,all of steel wire rods,reinforcing bars and shapes and sections followed the downward trend in November as well,and even coming into December,such tendency is said to be continuing.