Category: Economy

Medium- and heavy-duty trucks (MHDV) and buses imported to the US will start being charged Section 232 tariffs beginning Nov. 1.  

The Consumer Federation of America estimates rising total auto debt at a staggering $1.66 trillion, along with increasing repossessions and a sharp increase in delinquencies.

Economic growth in some US regions in September was offset by challenges in others, causing the market to appear largely unchanged overall, according to the Federal Reserve’s latest Beige Book report. 

The Institute for Supply Management’s (ISM) latest monthly report on manufacturing reflects a bleak view of American industry in September.

Trade groups cautioned that a prolonged shutdown could strain US industry.   

The Chicago Business Barometer's September reading indicates a softening in overall business activity in the Midwest for the third consecutive month, with new orders and backlogs retreating further.

Metalforming manufacturers anticipate a decrease in near-term conditions, according to the Precision Metalforming Association's (PMA) Business Conditions Report for September.

Architecture firms reported a modest improvement in billings through August, yet business conditions remained soft, according to the latest Architecture Billings Index (ABI) release from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and Deltek.

US nonresidential building starts fell 5.4% in August, to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $431 billion, according to the latest data released by Dodge Construction Network. 

The analysis below was first published by CRU. To learn about CRU’s global commodities research and analysis services, visit www.crugroup.com.  One-in-three companies have paused or delayed stainless steel orders because of disruption caused by the wave of import duties imposed worldwide this year, according to a survey conducted for Outokumpu of Finland. Other responses include more […]

Housing starts slowed in the US in August as affordability challenges and cautious builder sentiment weighed on new construction activity.

The US Department of Commerce announced that its second window for submitting applications for the inclusion of derivative steel and aluminum products in Section 232 tariffs is now open, according to the US Federal Register.  September’s Inclusion Window Sept. 15 through Sept. 29, applicants can email requests for inclusions to the Defense Industrial Base Programs.  The first […]

If the steel industry professionals who made it to the very final presentation of this year’s SMU Steel Summit were expecting another round of cautious forecasting, they were in for a surprise. Because what they got was a wake-up call.

US manufacturing activity remained muted in August despite a marginal gain from July's recent low, according to supply executives contributing to the Institute for Supply Management (ISM)’s latest report.

Steel executives packed the main conference hall of the 2025 SMU Steel Summit on Tuesday, Aug. 26, to hear economist Dr. Anirban Basu lay out his blunt view of tariffs, inflation, and demand.

Steel Dynamics Inc. (SDI) President and Chief Operating Officer, Barry Schneider, remains bullish about the Fort Wayne, Ind.-based steelmaker’s position in the current market.  

US housing starts rose in July both month-on-month and year-on-year, according to figures from the US Census Bureau. 

Business activity in New York state improved modestly in August. It was just the second positive reading for the general business conditions index in six months.

While boarding Airforce One on Friday, US President Donald Trump stated that he would be setting more steel tariffs and putting ~100% tariffs on semiconductors and chips.  

Market participants said they have high hopes that the stable hot-rolled spot market will improve as the year rolls on.  

The Dodge Momentum Index (DMI) jumped 20.8% in July and is now up 27% year-to-date, according to the latest data released by Dodge Construction Network.

US manufacturing activity slowed again in July to a 10-month low

Several EU member states have published a ‘non-paper’ that puts forward proposals for a post-safeguard trade measure.

Chief executive of the Institute for Supply Management (ISM), Tom Derry highlighted how reactive buying behavior has shifted the market into a quiet demand period. Derry presented ISM data during the weekly SMU community chat. 

The Architecture Billings Index (ABI), a leading indicator for non-residential construction activity, declined for an eighth straight month in June.

All districts reported “experiencing modest to pronounced input cost pressures related to tariffs, especially for raw materials used in manufacturing and construction.”

US steel exports rose 10% from April to May but remained low compared to recent years. This came just one month after exports fell to the lowest level recorded in nearly five years.

The volume of raw steel produced by US mills inched higher last week, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI). After steadily increasing in April and May, domestic mill output stabilized in early June and has remained historically strong since.

Steel trade groups praised the passage of the Big Beautiful Bill (BBB) in Congress on Thursday.

The Steel Manufacturers Association and the American Iron and Steel Institute applauded the tax provisions included in the Senate's tax and budget reconciliation bill.