Final Thoughts

Final Thoughts
Written by John Packard
June 1, 2015
As this issue started and I began working on my final thoughts for tonight’s issue, it began with comments from one of our service center friends about the prospect of dumping suits being filed. As the evening progressed I started to receive a number of credible comments from steel mills, service centers and others. The focus then changed to highlight what I was learning and move much of what I was writing from final thoughts into the lead article.
Here is how the original thought began:
A note from one of our readers, “Trade case, odds are 99.9% coated filed tomorrow.” (Tomorrow meaning Wednesday, June 3rd). If this service center (who also was the first person to register to attend this year’s Steel Summit Conference) is correct, kudos. If not, we will have to start some sort of contest to see who can select the date for a trade case. Maybe we should have a second contest to see what countries are filed against by product…
My thanks to those of you who have been sharing what you have been learning regarding trade cases (and other subjects). If anyone out there hears something that you believe to be credible (or raises a question that needs some research) please send it my way. You can reach me almost 24 hours a day at: John@SteelMarketUpdate.com.
It is always good to have fresh eyes looking at your product and services and providing feedback in an effort to help you improve. Here at Steel Market Update we are constantly reviewing and revising our products, whether it be one of our workshops, upgrading our Steel Summit Conference, adding a new conference (Leadership Conference) or looking at our original product: our newsletter. Ray Culley has been reviewing our products and has been making suggestions and we are listening. After all, he was the head of Marketing for Severstal North America prior to his retirement.
We are going to change our newsletter slightly as we move away from producing the interactive graphics in the body of the newsletter. If you read the newsletter in your email inbox instead of going to our website to read it, you know there are huge gaps where the interactive graphics are and this is distracting to many readers.
So, we are going to provide links to the graphics and the newsletter should be easier for many of you to read and enjoy. I do want comments about the change to see if you prefer it the old way or the new way (no gaps).
Hectic day so I am going to sign off here.
As always your business is truly appreciated by all of us at Steel Market Update.
John Packard, Publisher

John Packard
Read more from John PackardLatest in Final Thoughts

Final Thoughts
I’m not sure how many different ways I can write that it’s been a quiet market ahead of Independence Day. There are variations on that theme. I’ve heard everything from the ominous “eerily quiet” to "getting better" and even the occasional “blissfully unaware” (because I’m enjoying my vacation).

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?