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    Analysis

    February 8, 2019

    Final Thoughts

    Written by John Packard

    I continue to get mixed messages regarding the strength of the flat rolled steel market, and specifically lead times and pricing. I have heard from a number of steel buyers of longer lead times on galvanized at a couple of mills. The strength does not yet seem to be universal. Neither is the weakness. For those reasons, the SMU Price Momentum Indicator on flat rolled continues to be at Neutral. I am not yet sure what direction steel prices will move from here.

    John Packard Summit 18One of the concerns I have is the political situation. As Lewis Leibowitz has been pointing out in his articles, there just doesn’t seem to be any path as to what comes next. The March 2 deadline for Section 301 (tariffs on Chinese manufactured goods) is coming at us like a freight train.

    John Packard

    Read more from John Packard

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    SMU scrap market survey results now available

    SMU’s November ferrous scrap market survey results are now available on our website to all premium members. After logging in at steelmarketupdate.com, visit the Pricing and Analysis tab and look under the “survey results” section for Ferrous Scrap Survey results. Past scrap survey results are also available under that selection. If you need help accessing the survey results or if your company would like to have your voice heard in our future surveys, contact smu@crugroup.com.

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