Updates

** Shares of United States Steel X.N down 5% at $30.14 in early market hours

** Company forecast a surprise loss for Q4 due to lower selling prices, volumes, increased outage and maintenance activities, after the market close on Thursday

** It sees Q4 adjusted loss of 29 cents to 25 cents, vs analysts' average estimate of 16 cents profit, according to data compiled by LSEG

** Company forecasts Q4 adjusted core profit of ~$150 mln, below prior forecast of $225 mln to $275 mln

** "Earnings in the Flat-Rolled business continue to remain relatively supported given the contractual structure of certain sales, but this benefit will continue to roll off if current low prices persist" - Jefferies

** Earlier this week, peers Nucor NUE.N and Steel Dynamics STLD.O also forecast fourth-quarter profits below Wall Street estimates due to lower average steel prices and volumes

** YTD, United States Steel's stock down 38%, compared with a 24.3% fall in the S&P 500 Steel Sub-Industry Index .SPLRCSTEEL

(Reporting by Neil J Kanatt and Aatreyee Dasgupta in Bengaluru)

((Neil.JKanatt@thomsonreuters.com;))