SMU Steel Summit 2026: Can’t-miss exclusive interviews
We’re officially less than 30 days from the kick-off of SMU Steel Summit 2026 in Atlanta.
Category: Analysis
Price: Setting the record straight on steel as the summer of trade heats up
The busy summer for US trade, which we wrote about previously, is heating up with new Section 301 forced labor duties of 10-12.5% imposed on 60 countries and new Section 338 duties of 50% announced on certain Canadian imports.
AMU Survey: Recyclers turn more cautious
AMU’s July survey found recyclers expecting lower prices as demand softened, while forward scrap supply views remained mixed.
Commerce modifies duties on Korean CR, galvanized sheet
The US Department of Commerce is adjusting the import duties on Korean cold-rolled and galvanized steel after two administrative reviews.
Reliance lauds US reshoring investments
Reliance Inc said that US government industrial policies contributed to its second-quarter financial success.
Reliance finds competitive advantage amid suboptimal market conditions
Strong steel prices and elevated interest rates may be reshaping the competitive landscape among metals distributors.
Steel, raw materials exempted from finalized forced labor 301 tariffs
Steel and many steelmaking raw materials have been spared from additional forced labor Section 301 tariffs.
Export scrap market for Turkey springs back
The export market for scrap for Turkey has come back to life over the last week.
CRU: Jingye to sue UK for British Steel renationalization
Chinese steel maker Jingye insisted that the British government halt its takeover of longs producer British Steel.
SMU Steel Demand Index grows at a slower pace
SMU’s Steel Demand Index saw a slight decline in growth, slightly behind early July, but remaining in elevated territory, according to mid-to-late July indicators.
SMU Survey: Steel Buyers’ Sentiment Indices remain strong
SMU’s Steel Buyers’ Sentiment Indices indicate that buyers remain confident in their companies’ prospects today and in the near future.
SMU flat-rolled market survey results now available
The results of the latest SMU flat-rolled market survey are now available on our website to all premium members.
SMU's Mill Order Index expands in June
SMU’s Mill Order Index 2continued to expand in June. The result came as service center on-order volumes and new order entries continue to rise, according to our latest service center inventories data.
SMU Survey: Extended lead times persist on sheet and plate
Steel mill lead times have trended upward since last November and now stand at or near multi-year highs for all products.
Miller on Pig Iron: Brazilian trade with US picks up
The Brazilian pig iron trade with the US has resumed after a month of inactivity.
SMU Survey: Mill negotiability slips, sheet hits multi-year lows
The majority of steel buyers responding to our market survey this week report that mills are holding a firm grip on prices
SMA: Don't panic - The USMCA clock has not run out
SMA's Philip K. Bell gives his perspective on the latest news regarding the USMCA review process.
SMU Price Ranges: Sheet prices rise to multiyear highs
Sheet prices continued to grind higher this week on factors familiar to most steel market participants: extremely limited spot availability, long lead times, low inventories, and firm demand.
Miller on Scrap: Heading for another sideways month?
A mid-month look at the developing US August scrap market.
Apparent steel supply at multi-year high in May
Apparent steel supply jumped 8% from April to May to a near four-year high, according to recent Department of Commerce and American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) figures.
US steel exports stabilized in May at low levels
Steel exports eased 1% in May and remain significantly lower than trade of previous years.
Aluminum Dynamics sets Mississippi site for relocated recycled slab center
Aluminum Dynamics plans to invest more than $200 million to develop a recycled slab center in Lowndes County, Miss., establishing the permanent location for a project relocated from Arizona earlier this year.
SMU Steel Summit 2026: Who’s driving change—and what’s to come?
We’re just a few days away from initiating an official 30-day countdown until SMU Steel Summit 2026 in Atlanta.
US HR prices unchanged, imports vary slightly
SMU’s average price for domestic HR remained flat, holding firm for the past three weeks. In offshore markets last week, prices mainly moved higher.
CRU Outlook: Global steel export prices will remain under pressure
Steel export prices will remain under downward pressure across most major regions, due to seasonal demand weakness, intensifying competition, and the redirection of trade flows following the EU's revised tariff-rate quota (TRQ) system.
SMU Community Chat: Zekelman talks demand, data centers, and trade enforcement
Barry Zekelman showed up to last Wednesday’s SMU Community Chat as his usual self: energized, blunt, and unapologetically bullish on the US steel industry.
Steel imports recovered further in May and June
Monthly steel imports rose back above 2 million short tons (st) in May and June, further recovering from the historic lows seen late last year, according to recent Commerce data.
Plate sources predict higher spot prices, no peak in sight
Some domestic plate market sources expect spot price rises through the end of the year due to prolonged supply constraints.
June service center shipments and inventories report
US service centers’ flat-rolled steel supply was down marginally in June, and lower for a sixth straight month. Shipping days of supply slipped to 44.5, according to SMU data.
HRC vs. prime scrap widens again in July
The spread between domestic hot-rolled coil and prime scrap prices widened further in July, a trend that started back in September. It’s at its widest level since April 2022.