Final Thoughts: The search for steel

It’s tough to find a new angle to write about in a market that continues to be characterized by the same trends. You know the ones: extremely limited spot tons, long lead times, low inventories, and high prices.

What does that look like in practice? Here is one example. Ever try to buy spot tons at Nucor’s CSP right after it’s announced on Monday, and at a three- to five-week lead time? I’m not going to say it’s impossible. But it’s not exactly obvious how to do so either.

Michael Cowden

Michael Cowden is editor-in-chief for Steel Market Update. Cowden has covered the steel industry since 2007. He specializes in flat-rolled steel but has also reported on steel long products, steel pipe and tube, and aluminum. Before joining SMU, Cowden held reporting jobs at Fastmarkets AMM in Chicago, the Associated Press in Pittsburgh, and the Cambodia Daily in Phnom Penh. He has also worked as a copy editor and in marketing at the University of Chicago Press. Cowden has a BA in English from the University of Chicago and an MSJ journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. Contact him at michael@steelmarketupdate.com or 724-759-7872.