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    March 22, 2018

    SMU Service Center Apparent Excess/Deficit Inventories Forecast

    Written by Brett Linton

    Steel Market Update forecast that flat rolled steel shipments from U.S. service centers would slightly decline from 105,109 tons per day in January to 104,577 tons per day in February. The Metals Service Center Institute (MSCI) reported last week that sheet distributors shipped 109,565 tons per day, an increase over January. Our shipment forecast accuracy continues to be relatively high, off just 4.6 percent in February.

    Premium1On a monthly basis, our forecast called for total shipments to fall from 2,312,400 tons in January to 2,091,500 tons in February. The final figure was 2,191,500 tons; our forecast was off by exactly 100,000 tons.

    Brett Linton

    Brett Linton is a digital operations analyst for Steel Market Update, where he began his career. Linton has been in the steel industry since 2010. He has held roles as a category manager and strategic insights director at Reibus before returning to SMU in 2024. He is a graduate of The University of North Georgia with a degree in Finance and Accounting. Brett can be reached at brett@steelmarketupdate.com or 724-314-0179.

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