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    Final Thoughts

    August 14, 2026

    Final Thoughts: The (in)glorious history of snap polls at Steel Summit

    Written by Michael Cowden

    We’re a little over a week away from the opening of SMU Steel Summit, one of the largest gatherings of flat-rolled steel professionals in the world. If you’re registered, I encourage you to download the conference app. You’ll use it not only for networking but also to ask questions to our speakers. You’ll also need the app to respond to some of our snap polls.

    The snap polls are always one of my favorites. They’re a great way to quickly assess the mood of the room. But let’s just say we should approach our ability to predict the future beyond current lead times with a little humility.

    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.

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