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    Market Data

    July 17, 2026

    Beige Book highlights employment uptick, flags pricing uncertainty 

    Written by Kristen DiLandro

    Despite persistent pricing uncertainty, the Fed’s latest Beige Book reported that the US economy continued to expand at a modest pace with labor market conditions improving.

    Employment improved across five districts compared to just one in its last report. The manufacturing, construction, and energy sectors showed the most hiring growth. However, employers in these industries reported being conservative and cautious due to overall uncertainty. Wage growth remained moderate.

    Kristen DiLandro

    Kristen DiLandro is a reporter for Steel Market Update. Kristen focuses on the micro and macro steel market conditions informing North American spot prices. Following her agency career in advertising, she attained an MFA in Writing from Savannah College of Art and Design. Kristen can be reached at kristen@steelmarketupdate.com or 724-221-8143.

    Read more from Kristen DiLandro

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    galvalume steel coil

    SMU Survey: Mill willingness to negotiate price at lowest levels since 2021

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    SMU flat-rolled market survey results now available

    The results of the latest Steel Market Update (SMU) flat-rolled market survey are now available on our website to all premium members. After logging in, look under the Data tab for Market Reports, and there you will find the Flat-Rolled Survey Results section. Previous survey results are also available on that page. If you need help accessing these results, or if your company would like to have your voice heard in our future surveys, contact smu@crugroup.com.

    Fall maintenance winding down, but key outages remain

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