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    Analysis

    August 7, 2026

    SMU Survey: Steel Buyer Sentiment Indices remain strongly optimistic

    Written by Brett Linton

    SMU’s Steel Buyers’ Sentiment Indices were once again strongly optimistic this week, based on responses collected from steel executives in our latest market survey. Both measures have been historically strong for several months, indicating that buyers are confident in their companies’ prospects today and in the coming months.

    Every two weeks, SMU polls thousands of steel industry executives asking them to rate their companies’ chances of success today and also three to six months down the road. These responses are used to calculate our proprietary Current and Future Steel Buyers’ Sentiment Indices, measures we have tracked since our 2008 inception.

    Brett Linton

    Brett Linton is a digital operations analyst for Steel Market Update, where he began his career. Linton has been in the steel industry since 2010. He has held roles as a category manager and strategic insights director at Reibus before returning to SMU in 2024. He is a graduate of The University of North Georgia with a degree in Finance and Accounting. Brett can be reached at brett@steelmarketupdate.com or 724-314-0179.

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