Final Thoughts

Final Thoughts
Written by John Packard
March 27, 2019
I want to make sure that all of you thinking of attending this year’s SMU Steel Summit Conference are aware of some of changes, so you can plan your schedules accordingly. First, the CME Group will be hosting a Price Risk Management Workshop in the Atlanta Airport Marriott Gateway Hotel (next to GICC) from 10:30 a.m. until noon on Monday, Aug. 26. Second, the conference will begin on Monday afternoon at 1 p.m. in the Georgia International Convention Center. First up will be Chris Houlden and Josh Spoores of the CRU Group and myself. We will be discussing some of the proprietary indices we produce, and CRU will discuss their price forecast for the balance 2019 and 2020. Third, the CRU Group will host an Aluminum Conference immediately following the SMU Steel Summit Conference.
To learn more about the CRU Aluminum Summit Conference, please use this link: http://bit.ly/2uwwEz1
Some of the companies that registered executives for the 2019 SMU Steel Summit Conference during last 24 hours (companies with * have more than one person): Steel Dynamics*, Precoat Metals*, Agway Metals*, AGCO, U.S. Steel*, Spantek Expanded Metal, Central Steel & Wire*, Nucor Tubular*, Nucor Sheet Mill Group*, Southwark and Ryerson*. The total number will soon exceed 250 registered attendees with five months to go until the event. You can register online by clicking here.
I intend to put out a much more detailed email regarding our conference, agenda and speakers in Sunday evening’s issue of Steel Market Update.
For those of you who will be in New York City on June 17, the CRU Group will conduct a free Steel Briefing for clients of CRU and SMU. Let us know if you are interested and we will provide a registration link.
My next business trip is not until Monday, April 15 & 16 when I will be in Orlando for the Air Distribution Institute. So, I will be stationary for the next couple of weeks for those who would like to speak with me. I can be reached at 800-432-3475 or by email: John@SteelMarketUpdate.com.
As always, your business is truly appreciated by all of us here at Steel Market Update.
John Packard, President & CEO

John Packard
Read more from John PackardLatest in Final Thoughts

Final Thoughts
I’m not sure how many different ways I can write that it’s been a quiet market ahead of Independence Day. There are variations on that theme. I’ve heard everything from the ominous “eerily quiet” to "getting better" and even the occasional “blissfully unaware” (because I’m enjoying my vacation).

Final Thoughts
What's going to be the next big thing in steel?

Final Thoughts
Based on the amount of ‘out of office’ replies we’ve been receiving and the results of this week’s steel buyers’ survey, those pesky summer doldrums have arrived for the steel industry.

Final Thoughts
Maybe some of this uncertainty will get ironed out ahead of Liberation Day tariffs resetting higher rates on July 9. But if I had to place a wager, it would be on more drama and last-minute brinksmanship - whether it comes to the Liberation Day tariffs or the various Section 232s that are in the works.

Final Thoughts
What should you keep your eye on, considering the latest geopolitical events?