SMU Data and Models
SMU's September at a glance
Written by Brett Linton
October 3, 2024
SMU’s monthly review provides a summary of important steel market metrics for the previous month. This latest report includes data updated through Sept. 30.
Prices of sheet and plate steel showed little movement in September, as buyers reported lackluster demand, high inventories, and caution related to the upcoming election. Sheet mills attempted to raise prices via multiple increases but failed to gain much traction.
The SMU Price Momentum Indicator on sheet was adjusted from higher to neutral in the first week of the month, indicating no clear direction for prices in the short term. Our Price Momentum Indicator for plate remains as it has been since April, pointing lower.
September scrap prices were sideways to down from August, easing as much as $8 per gross ton for some products. Buyers are uncertain about what prices could do in October.
We saw a dip in Steel Buyers’ Sentiment in the middle of September, but it mostly recovered by the end of the month. Our Future and Current Buyers’ Sentiment Indices indicate that buyers remain optimistic about their companies’ chances of success now and in the future.
Steel mill lead times eased slightly through the month and remain near some of the shortest levels recorded in some time. The percentage of buyers reporting that mills were willing to negotiate on new orders edged lower from August to September but remains relatively strong.
See the chart below for other key metrics for September. Historical charts can be found here on our website.
Brett Linton
Read more from Brett LintonLatest in SMU Data and Models
SMU scrap market survey results now available
SMU’s 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 flat-rolled survey results are also available under that selection. If you need help accessing the survey results, […]
SMU flat-rolled market survey results now available
SMU’s latest steel buyers 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 “latest survey results.” Past survey results are also available under that selection. If you need help accessing the survey results, or if […]
SMU Survey: Buyers’ Sentiment rises but caution remains
After reaching multi-month lows in mid-May, SMU’s Buyers’ Sentiment Indices modestly recovered in our latest survey.
SMU Survey: Sheet lead times fall to multi-year low
Mill lead times shrunk this week for all of the sheet products tracked by SMU and held steady on plate, according to buyers responding to our latest market survey.
SMU Survey: Mill willingness to negotiate keeps on climbing
Most steel buyers responding to our latest market survey report that domestic mills are willing to talk price to secure new orders. Mill negotiability has continued to rise across all sheet and plate products we track, now at some of the highest levels recorded since late 2024.