Final Thoughts

Final Thoughts
Written by John Packard
November 20, 2017
This is the last Executive issue of Steel Market Update until Sunday evening. We will produce a Premium issue for our Premium clients tomorrow.
Our offices will be open tomorrow (Wednesday) and closed on Thanksgiving Day. We will have limited coverage on the Friday following Thanksgiving. Our offices will return to normal staffing and hours on Monday, Nov. 27.
If you or your company is interested in becoming either a sponsor or an exhibitor for our 2018 SMU Steel Summit Conference, please send a note to: info@SteelMarketUpdate.com and we will get you a brochure with pricing and information. Our expectation is that our conference will entertain 750+ steel and manufacturing executives next year. The conference will be held at the Georgia International Convention Center on Aug. 27-29, 2018. Mark your calendars and put us in your budget for next year.
End of the year housekeeping: We had a customer contact us today wanting to know the correct remit-to address as they have been using our old Georgia address and their letter was returned. Our remit-to address is: Steel Market Update, P.O. Box 1255, Hobe Sound, FL 33475. Accounting office phone number is 772-932-7538. My office phone number is 800-432-3475. The accounting office and mine are in two separate buildings. If you have questions about our website, the best person to call is Brett Linton who can be reached at 706-216-2140.
As always, your business is truly appreciated by all of us here at Steel Market Update.
John Packard, Publisher

John Packard
Read more from John PackardLatest in Final Thoughts

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.