Nelson-Farrar indexes for finished steels changed randomly during the period 2000-03. Generally speaking, the alloy steels changed less than carbon steel products.
Alloy bars started the period with an index value of 783.2 and finished at 872.9. Alloy sheets stood at index value of 524.3 in early 2000, and at 555.4 in late 2003.
Index for cold-rolled sheets was 1039.2 during the first quarter of 2000, and stood at 1083.9 during the last quarter of 2003.
During the same period, structural plates started the 4-year period at an index of 1029.8, and ended at 1074.3.
Composite index for steel products varied from 949.1 in the first quarter of 2000 to 980.1 during the last quarter of 2003. The composite category includes all steel-mill products.
This analysis shows relative stability in the cost of finished steels over the 2000-03 period.
