(by Rye Druzin, www.pipe-logix.com) US line pipe prices increased this month to $2,282/short ton (st), with domestic price increases outweighing a decline in import prices. The line pipe index increased by $8/st, the third consecutive month to see prices rise. Domestic prices rose by 1.3%, and import prices fell by 0.8%. The domestic all sizes ERW average price rose by 0.7% to $1,821/st, while the all sizes seamless average price jumped by 1.6% to $3,335/st. The import all sizes ERW average price rose by 1.7% to $1,387/st, while the imported seamless average pipe prices dropped by 2% to $2,586/st. The distributor’s sentiment jumped by 12 points this month to a positive reading of 68. The price outlook skyrocketed by 33 points to a positive reading of 100, the first time since March 2022, with all distributors expecting prices to rise in the coming months. Oil prices were down by 2.8% in November compared to the prior month, while natural gas prices jumped by 16%. HRC prices fell by 3.4% sequentially in November. The average North American drilling rig count for November was down by one at 584 compared to the prior month.