MSCI: Shipments Flat in June > Metal Center News

MSCI: Shipments Flat in June

July 25, 2012

MSCI: Shipments Flat in June

June steel shipments declined in the U.S. and Canada from 2011 levels, according to the latest Metals Activity Report from the Metals Service Center Institute, Rolling Meadows, Ill. U.S. aluminum shipments also were down compared to last year, though Canadian shipments saw a slight increase. Inventory-to-sales ratios were virtually unchanged for both metals in both countries.

U.S. service centers shipped 3.5 million tons of steel products in June, a decrease of 1.9 percent from June 2011. For the year to date, shipments totaled 22.1 million tons, an increase of 5.9 percent from the same period in 2011. Steel product inventories totaled 9.0 million tons at the end of the month, an increase of 13.6 percent over a year ago but a decrease of 0.7 percent from May. At June shipping rates, this represented 2.6 months of supply, an increase of 15.9 percent from a year ago.

U.S. service centers shipped 128,900 tons of aluminum products in June, down 4.0 percent from the same month last year. Year-to-date aluminum shipments totaled 793,100 tons, an increase of 3.9 percent from the same month in 2011. Inventories of aluminum products totaled 376,900 tons at the end of June, an increase of 7.3 percent from the previous year, but down 2.3 percent from May. At June shipping rates, this represented 2.9 months of supply, an increase of 11.9 percent from a year ago.

Canadian service centers shipped 531,200 tons of steel products in June, a decrease of 0.8 percent compared to June 2011. For the year to date, shipments totaled 3.3 million tons, an increase of 2.0 percent from the same period last year. Canadian steel inventories totaled 1.6 million tons at the end of June, an increase of 2.8 percent from last year, but down 2.6 percent from May. At June shipping rates, this represented 3.0 months supply, an increase of 3.6 percent from 2011.

Canadian distributors shipped 13,500 tons of aluminum products in June, up 1.1 percent from the same month in 2011. Year-to-date shipments totaled 83,400 tons, an increase of 11.9 percent from last year. Inventories of aluminum products totaled 36,700 tons at the end of June, an increase of 14.6 percent from a year ago, and an increase of 1.6 percent from last month. At June shipping rates, this represented 2.7 months of supply, an increase of 13.4 percent from a year ago.