Final Thoughts

Final Thoughts
Written by John Packard
September 1, 2017
My final thoughts are going to be extremely brief this evening as I live close to the Atlantic Ocean in south Florida and there is a category 5 hurricane thinking about heading our way. So, we are in preparation mode and will move north and wait to see if it veers further west and into the Gulf of Mexico or east missing the Florida coast. My goal is to not miss a beat as we work on Thursday and Sunday’s newsletters.
As always, your business is truly appreciated by all of us here at Steel Market Update.
John Packard, Publisher

John Packard
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Final Thoughts
Cliffs came tantalizing close to buying U.S. Steel in 2023. There were rumors in 2024 that Cliffs might buy NLMK USA before it ultimately purchased Stelco for $2.5 billion in November of last year. Who would have thought that asset sales would have been the focal point of discussion just six months later?

Final Thoughts
Given the news about tariffs and bringing back industries to the US, a brief look back in time may show how our economy changes with technological advances and the shifting economies of scale.

Final Thoughts
We’ve talked about tariffs ad nauseam for much of the year. And I’m afraid this topic isn’t going away anytime soon. There’s a feeling that the tariff “can” will just be kicked down the road again and again, and again.

Final Thoughts
Can technology help with pig iron and DRI/HBI tariffs?

Final Thoughts
Tariff-related noise aside, there is one basic factor keeping buyers on the sidelines. Despite recent declines, HR prices remain at historically high levels. And there is no obvious support to keep them there.