Final Thoughts
Final Thoughts
Written by John Packard
September 13, 2017
A note to service centers: SMU is working on a new prime flat rolled distributor inventory index and trends analysis. If your company is interested in participating or if you have any questions, please send me a note: John@SteelMarketUpdate.com
The hurricane saga continues, and I want to take a moment to wish those who have been impacted by either Harvey or Irma best wishes and a quick recovery from whatever damage you might have suffered. To our readers, if it is possible, please contribute to the American Red Cross (www.redcross.org) or another disaster relief organization.
We are back in Hobe Sound where both our home and office were untouched by the storm. Brett Linton in our Georgia office has not been quite so lucky and has been without power since Monday when a tree came down in their neighborhood and took out all of the wires. To date, the tree and the wires remain where they fell and Brett has been working at his in-laws and Chick-Fil-A (so, we have to give a shout out to his in-laws and Chick-Fil-A for helping with tonight’s issue).
I spoke about the new service center index we have been working on for about three months. The service centers who participate will receive the results before they are offered out to our subscribers. Our goal is to produce the index within the first 10 days of each new month. I will continue to “tweak” the index over the next few months. If you have suggestions on what you would like for us to cover and how you would like to see the information portrayed, please send me an email. I have a good idea as to what I would like to accomplish and I will be sharing those thoughts directly with the companies who have volunteered to share information (confidentially) with us. I will be sending a report on Friday to the service centers who participated this week.
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
I think all of us know that sometimes courtships go wrong. A misplaced word or deed and soon things can go sideways, and not in the prices sense. Such could be the case with Japanese steelmaker Nippon Steel’s play for U.S. Steel.
Final thoughts
We’re starting to see some impacts of the big trade case filed last week against imports of coated flat-rolled steel from 10 nations. Namely, we’ve heard that a range of traders have stopped offering material from Vietnam. An alleged dumping margin of nearly 160% will do that. Especially amid chatter of critical circumstances.
Final thoughts
The phrase “political football” has been tossed around a lot lately. (Pun probably intended.) For the humble journalists at SMU who thought the week following Steel Summit would prove a quiet one… the news cycle had other ideas
Final thoughts
Sheet prices didn’t roar back after Labor Day. But steel market news sure came out of the gate strong (or maybe chaotically is the better way to put it). First, the nearly $15-billion proposed sale of U.S. Steel to Nippon Steel exploded into the news. And when I say exploded, I mean that all sides seem to be escalating things now.
Final thoughts
Welcome back from Labor Day, from Steel Summit, and from whatever fun you might have had over the long weekend. Personally, I enjoyed camping with friends and family near Starved Rock. No one starved, there were no major injuries, and we enjoyed the many splendors of Mystical Fire. (Speaking of which, does that have industrial uses? But I digress.)