Final Thoughts

Final Thoughts

Written by John Packard


It is Super Bowl Sunday in America and not many eyes will be focused on our newsletter until sometime on Monday morning. Like you, we at Steel Market Update are watching the game, and perhaps more importantly the commercials (and the halftime show…).

Congratulations to the New England Patriots for winning the game and to the Seattle Seahawks for making it exciting.

So, I will keep my final thoughts will be brief.

Our early February flat rolled steel market survey will begin first thing in the morning. If you receive an invitation please take a few minutes to click on the link and complete the questionnaire.

As always your business is truly appreciated by all of us here at Steel Market Update.

John Packard, Publisher

Latest in Final Thoughts

Final Thoughts

Even before the news about Mexico, I didn’t want to overstate the magnitude of the change in momentum. As far as we could tell, there hadn’t been a frenzy of new ordering following President Trump’s announcement of 50% Section 232 tariffs. But higher tariffs had unquestionably raised prices for imports, which typically provide the floor for domestic pricing. We’d heard, for example, that prices below $800 per short ton for hot-rolled (HR) coil were gone from the domestic market – even for larger buyers.