Final Thoughts

Final Thoughts
Written by John Packard
October 3, 2014
I will take a moment to recommend the Armada Corporate Intelligence report and the Armada website as something those in the marketing sections of your company may want to subscribe to. The cost is negligible and the value is quite high in my opinion. A good example is on their website on Saturday, October 4th they had an article about the Credit Managers Index. In the article they talk about the drop in the index and its relationship to predicting future PMI (purchasing managers index) direction. The latest CMI dropped significantly and, according to Armada, “This was not a small reversal of fortune by any stretch of the imagination, this could be termed a collapse and it begs a very important question. Who is correct – the Purchasing Managers Index or the Credit Managers Index?” You can read the full Armada Flash Advance Report by clicking here.
On Monday we will begin our early October flat rolled steel market survey. Invitations should go out around 8 AM ET.
I will be out of the office on Monday afternoon and all day Tuesday and Wednesday as we are conducting one of our Steel 101 workshops in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Diana and Brett will be in the office to answer any questions you might have.
As always your business is truly appreciated by all of us here at Steel Market Update.
John Packard, Publisher

John Packard
Read more from John PackardLatest in Final Thoughts

Final Thoughts
What's going to be the next big thing in steel?

Final Thoughts
Based on the amount of ‘out of office’ replies we’ve been receiving and the results of this week’s steel buyers’ survey, those pesky summer doldrums have arrived for the steel industry.

Final Thoughts
Maybe some of this uncertainty will get ironed out ahead of Liberation Day tariffs resetting higher rates on July 9. But if I had to place a wager, it would be on more drama and last-minute brinksmanship - whether it comes to the Liberation Day tariffs or the various Section 232s that are in the works.

Final Thoughts
What should you keep your eye on, considering the latest geopolitical events?

Final Thoughts
Not many people in the North American steel market had direct US involvement in another Middle East conflict on their bingo card. Prices weren't expected to shoot higher unless something unexpected happened. That unexpected something has now happened. And there is talk of oil at $100 per barrel. What does that mean for steel?