Category: Features

US service centers flat-rolled steel supply in August declined month-over-month (m/m) and year-over-year (y/y), according to SMU data.

SMU uses ferrous scrap survey data to take AI out on a test drive.

Domestic mill output declined last week, according to the latest data released by the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI). While down, production remains historically strong, holding near multi-year highs since June.

Will a US-UK meeting next week prove a harbinger of tariff deals to come, or will it be just another case of having the rug pulled from under us?

As governments falter, ecosystems unravel, and moral compasses spin like casino wheels, the American steel industry remains stubbornly stable. Come, take a walk with me through a recap of this week's steel industry news...

Apparent supply totaled 8.88 million short tons (st) in July, down 38,000 st from June and 6% higher than the same month last year

Active rig counts increased in both the US and Canada last week, according to figures released by Baker Hughes. Although rising, US counts continue to hover just above historic lows. Canadian figures remain comparatively healthy, rising to a six-month high this week. Total US rig counts climbed by two week over week (w/w) to 539. […]

International trade law and policy remain a hot topic in Washington and beyond this week. We are paying special attention to the ongoing litigation of the president’s tariff policies and the administration’s efforts to heighten trade enforcement.

When will we see prime scrap become scarce as the worldwide transition to EAF melting increases, especially for HRC production? It's a question I've been asked a lot. 

Following a 3% decline in June, the amount of steel shipped outside of the US edged up 1% in July to 623,000 short tons. July was the sixth-lowest monthly export rate since the COVID-19 pandemic, and...

Mexico is considering imposing steep tariffs on imports of steel, automobiles, and over 1,400 other products. Its target? Countries with which it does not have free trade agreements, mainly China, India, Thailand, and other South Asian nations.

The price spread between prime scrap and hot-rolled coil (HRC) narrowed by a hair this month, according to SMU’s most recent pricing data.

Earlier this week, SMU polled steel buyers on an array of topics, ranging from market prices, demand, and inventories to tariffs, imports, and evolving market events.

With US economic indicators all over the map, it’s no wonder the steel market has experienced a whole lot of analysis paralysis this year.  

US steel imports declined for the second consecutive month in July, according to recently finalized US Commerce Department data.

Directors of Anglo American and Teck Resources have conditionally agreed to join together in what they describe as a merger of equals with a focus on copper. 

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.

SMU’s current Scrap sentiment index increased this month while future sentiment declined, according to our latest ferrous scrap survey data.

SMU’s September ferrous scrap market survey results are now available on our website to all premium members.

A recurring theme in conversations with some of you and in the comments submitted in our surveys is concerns about demand and uncertainty around tariffs. Where does SMU’s latest opinion polling on President Trump’s tariffs stand? Let’s take a look at the numbers.

President Trump’s “reciprocal” tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Policy Act (IEEPA) were struck down again, this time on Aug. 29 by the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC). The legal and policy mess continues, with the next stop being the US Supreme Court.

Drilling activity increased in both the US and Canada last week, according to the latest oil and gas rig count data released by Baker Hughes.

Robert Kopf has been on U.S. Steel's acquiring side and is now part of the steelmaker's partnership with Japan’s Nippon Steel, and he sees bright days ahead for the steelmaker.

SMU’s Steel Buyers’ Sentiment Indices ticked higher this week, according to the latest data from our flat-rolled steel survey.

Repealing any reciprocal tariffs placed by President Donald Trump on US imports of direct reduced iron (DRI), iron ore, hot-briquetted iron (HBI), and pig iron would have only a nominal impact on the US steel market, market participants said.  

SMU’s latest steel buyers market survey results are now available on our website to all premium members.

I’ve been getting some calls lately from some of you who want to kick around ideas on where prices might bottom and when.

Sheet and plate lead times held steady yet again this week, according to steel buyers responding to our latest market survey, a trend in place since May.

The US government determined this week that hot-rolled steel imports from a handful of countries continue to threaten the domestic steel industry.

The majority of steel buyers responding to this week’s market survey continue to report that mills are open to negotiating spot prices on sheet and plate products.