Platts Launches 12 New Steel/Scrap Prices in Steel Markets Daily

Platts Launches 12 New Steel/Scrap Prices in Steel Markets Daily

September 10, 2007

    NEW YORK, Sept. 10 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- 

    Platts, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE:
MHP) and a leading global provider of energy and metals
information, today began publishing a dozen new daily price
assessments of steel product and scrap in Steel Markets
Daily, one of its 70 core global news and pricing
products.

    Platts' Steel Markets Daily provides readers worldwide
with price benchmarks, news, and market commentary on
steel, one of the world's most strategic commodities. In
addition to its original hot-rolled coil and rebar
steel-product prices, Steel Markets Daily is now
publishing: 

    -- Five cold-rolled coil prices. In Europe: ex-works
Ruhr, Germany; CIF 
       Port of Antwerp, Belgium; and FOB Ports of the Black
Sea region (inland 
       sea between Europe and Turkey); and in the US:
ex-works Indiana; and        
       CIF Port of Houston, Texas. (Note: CIF is cost,
insurance and freight; 
       FOB is free on board. Ex-works signifies direct from
the mill.)
    -- Four plate prices. In Europe: ex-works Ruhr; CIF
Antwerp; and in the US: 
       ex-works Southeast (Southeastern coastal ports); and
CIF Houston. 
    -- Three ferrous scrap prices. In Europe: heavy melting
scrap, FOB Port of 
       Rotterdam, Netherlands and FOB Black Sea; and in the
US: shredded scrap, 
       delivered to Midwest mills. 
    
    Platts began publishing daily steel prices on January
29 to meet industry demand for more reliable and
transparent price information.

    "Now that we've established our dependable history
of daily prices for nearly nine months, the steel industry
has let us know it welcomes more product prices based on
the Platts unique methodology," said Francis Browne,
director of steel, Platts-London. "We're pleased that
Platts' steel prices are being recognized for their
independence and reliability." 

    Since May, a monthly summary of Steel Markets Daily
prices has appeared on the web site for the Steel Buyers
Forum of the Institute for Supply Management. SteelFacts,
an exclusive distributor of American Iron and Steel
Institute (AISI) iron and steel industry statistics -- none
of which data relate to prices -- also features monthly
summaries as part of a Platts Steel Markets Daily
partnership.

    "Our clear-cut strength is that we're actively
engaged with steel market participants every day and we
publish daily prices -- unlike all other steel benchmark
pricing, which is far less frequent, or automated,"
Browne said.

    Steel reinforcing bar, or rebar, is used throughout the
construction industry to strengthen concrete. Hot-rolled
coil, the most widely produced flat-rolled steel, is used
in durable/consumer goods manufacturing and construction.
Cold-rolled coil, another flat-rolled steel, is used in the
appliance and automotive sectors among others. Steel plate
is used in highway, bridge and other-construction projects,
as well as shipbuilding. Ferrous scrap, or scrap steel, is
used as a raw material in melting furnaces in the
conversion of old steel products into recycled new steel
products.

    About Platts: 

    Platts, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE:
MHP), is a leading global provider of energy and metals
information. With nearly a century of business experience,
Platts serves customers across more than 150 countries.
From 14 offices worldwide, Platts serves the oil, natural
gas, electricity, nuclear power, coal, emissions,
petrochemical and metals markets. Platts' real time news,
pricing, analytical services, and conferences help markets
operate with transparency and efficiency. Traders, risk
managers, analysts, and industry leaders depend upon Platts
to help them make better trading and investment decisions.
Additional information is available at
http://www.platts.com . 
 
    About The McGraw-Hill Companies: 

    Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE:  MHP)
is a leading global information services provider meeting
worldwide needs in the financial services, education and
business information markets through leading brands such as
Standard & Poor's, McGraw-Hill Education, BusinessWeek
and J.D. Power and Associates. The Corporation has more
than 280 offices in 40 countries. Sales in 2006 were $6.3
billion. Additional information is available at
http://www.mcgraw-hill.com . 


    For more information, please contact:

     Kathleen Tanzy
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]

     Asia: Casey Yew
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]

     Europe: Shiona Ramage
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]