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    Analysis

    December 19, 2014

    Final Thoughts

    Written by John Packard

    As we approach the end of the year we begin to think about what is ahead of us for 2015. Will we see the massive amounts of foreign steel continue to flood the domestic (USA) market or will buyers back off as domestic prices slide closer to foreign offers? The expectation is for demand to grow next year and we got an email over the weekend from one company in Texas (associated with cattle) who told me that their business is forecast to be up 20 percent in 2015. This after having a record 2014… All eyes are on the commercial construction markets which are forecast by ITR to be up 9.5 percent in 2015. Construction will be one of the key industries impacting demand at the domestic mills during 2015.

    Will 2015 be a year of volatility and frustration for the domestic steel mills? Will we see dumping suits on cold rolled and coated sometime during the year (and, if we do how will it impact the market)? How aggressive will AK Steel, Steel Dynamics and Nucor be as they absorb the former Severstal and Gallatin operations?

    John Packard

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