With foreign steel offers largely on hold as the market awaits President Trump’s final decision on steel tariffs, domestic steel mills are in a strong bargaining position and are taking full advantage of it. Nine out of 10 steel buyers responding to Steel Market Update’s market trends questionnaire this week say the mills are unwilling […]
Reaction to the official announcement and signing of the Section 232 proclamation brought swift reaction from the industry and Congress. Opinions ranged from unwavering support, “the era of American trade surrender is coming to an end,” to total dismay, “the sweeping tariffs announced today are like dropping a bomb on a flea.” Supporting the 25 […]
Australia’s Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull warned that the steel and aluminum tariffs planned by President Trump will have consequences for construction in California. Australian producer BlueScope sends about 300,000 metric tons of steel slabs per year to its Steelscape facilities in California and Washington where it is transformed into metallic-coated and pre-painted steel used in […]
I am in Scottsdale, Ariz., attending the Fabricators and Manufacturers Association (FMA) annual meeting. I was asked to speak on a panel with Nucor Executive Vice President for Flat Rolled Ladd Hall and Don McNeeley, President of Chicago Tube and Iron. The timing of the conference couldn’t have been better for the fabricators, toll processors […]
Steel Market Update forecast that flat rolled steel shipments from U.S. service centers would rise from 87,805 tons per day in December to 109,083 tons per day in January. The Metals Service Center Institute (MSCI) reported last week that sheet distributors shipped 105,109 tons per day. Our shipment forecast accuracy continues to be high, off […]
President Trump says there will be no tariff exclusions for Canada and Mexico unless a “new and fair NAFTA agreement is signed.” Translation: If you accede to our demands, we will exclude you from Section 232. Trump tweeted early on Monday morning: “We have large trade deficits with Mexico and Canada. NAFTA, which is under […]
I’ve lived through all kinds of trade cases, Section 201’s, voluntary restraint agreements – you name it. The U.S. government is not good for the steel industry and is not good for consumers of steel products. Gary Cohn is leaving the White House, apparently a signal that the 25 percent steel tariffs are coming your […]
The following article was written by trade attorney Lewis E. Leibowitz. Whenever you hear someone say that a policy move is vital and trivial at the same time, watch your wallet. The Sunday talk shows today featured spokesmen and commentators debating the impact of steel and aluminum tariffs. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and National […]
Steel Market Update received the following letter from a manufacturing company located in New England. This company is one of hundreds across the country who are concerned that President Trump’s tariff will increase their costs to manufacture products in the United States and they will then lose business to those who are providing the same […]
Oscar Night, so I will keep my comments short and sweet…maybe. I was told by one of our readers over the weekend that it would cost U.S. Steel $100 million to re-start Granite City. They wanted to know if that was correct? I did some checking with a number of analysts and was told that […]
The White House announced that it would be formally announcing the remedies under Section 232 on steel and aluminum this morning. Then they said no, there would not be an announcement this week. Shortly after that information was shared by the White House, President Trump was asked a question… SMU advice to steel buyers: Do […]
The following article was written by trade attorney Lewis E. Leibowitz. In the article, he discusses what the president said he would do (25% tariff on steel, 10% aluminum) and what happens next (assuming the president actually announces the tariffs officially next week). Leibowitz will be at this year’s SMU Steel Summit Conference where we […]
President Trump says he will sign a measure next week calling for a 25 percent tariff on steel imports and a 10 percent tariff on aluminum imports under Section 232 because they pose a threat to the domestic industries and thus national security. Trump had looked set to make the trade action official today, even […]
President Trump’s announcement today of his intention to impose a 25 percent tariff on steel imports puts the steel industry on course for historic change. Historically good or historically bad, or perhaps some of both, depends on the individual’s perspective. Following are some of the reactions Steel Market Update received from readers, whose names were […]
President Trump met with representatives of the steel and aluminum industries at the White House today, during which he announced his intention to impose tariffs of 25 percent on steel imports and 10 percent on aluminum imports next week. Following is a transcript of the president’s exchange with the industry leaders: THE PRESIDENT: Thank you […]
The U.S. steel industry reacted with enthusiasm to the president’s decision to impose a 25 percent tariff under Section 232 on steel imports to the United States. Nucor Chairman and CEO John Ferriola said in a statement, “The president has consistently been a strong advocate for holding other countries accountable that systematically and flagrantly violate […]
Key market indicators, and the trends they reveal, are the best they have ever been in Steel Market Update’s analysis. Data released in February shows that 18 of the 36 indicators are historically positive with only six negative. The balance is within the band of historically normal. Trends improved with 32 of the indicators heading […]
As much as the mills are gloating about President Trump’s decision to lay a 25 percent tariff on foreign steel, remember one thing – not one of them asked for it. When it was handed to them, they took it. They did not fight to protect those products that they don’t like to make (or […]
There was a lot of buzz on the trade front today, from posturing over the next round of NAFTA negotiations to commentary on the 2018 “Economic Report of the President”: • Senate Finance Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-UT) told reporters that Congress will take “veto-proof” action if President Trump attempts to terminate NAFTA, adding that “we […]
Flat rolled steel prices have been on the rise since October. Judging by steel demand, that trend is likely to continue. About 41 percent of all the respondents to last week’s Steel Market Update market trends questionnaire reported improving demand for their products. Another 53 percent said demand remained the same. Only 6 percent felt […]
NAFTA negotiators began round seven of talks in Mexico City on Sunday. The contentious rules-of-origin proposal was scheduled for three days of discussion but Jason Bernstein, the USTR’s chief negotiator on the issue, reportedly was called back to Washington after just one day. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer required Bernstein’s attendance at a “consultation” meeting […]
The next few months are going to be a wild ride (in my opinion). There appears to be a cascading “Gray Swan” event in process prompted by Section 232 and expectations associated with 232, which now are for Trump to announce a 24 percent tariff on all steel products and let the chips fall where […]
President Trump is favoring a 24 percent global tariff on steel imports, according to sources reported by multiple media outlets. Trump’s pick for Section 232 aluminum trade restrictions is a 10 percent tariff on all aluminum imports. The rumors are contrary to analysts’ expectations of a more targeted tariff on imports. Broad-based tariffs are likely […]
In 2017, the domestic steel market contracted by 0.5 percent, but domestic shipments were up while imports were down. Table 1 shows 11 years of history of total steel supply to the U.S. market broken down into shipments from domestic mills and imports, excluding semi-finished. The hot rolled steel market totaled 106.4 million tons in […]
President Trump has made no official announcement about his plans for Section 232, leaving the steel market to speculate on last week’s Commerce Department recommendations. The majority of respondents to this week’s Steel Market Update market trends questionnaire are guessing he will come up with his own solution to combat unfair imports. The Commerce recommendations […]
Mill lead times on flat rolled steel orders continue to stretch as buyers replenish inventories in the first quarter. One of the key indicators tracked by Steel Market Update, lead times reflect the activity at the mills and the order levels they are seeing from their customers. About 9 percent of respondents to this week’s […]
Steel prices have been on the rise for the past four months, so it’s no surprise that steel buyers are reporting mills less willing to negotiate. More than 60 percent of respondents to Steel Market Update’s latest market trends questionnaire say mills are holding firm in price negotiations. About 10 percent say they still find […]
Ironically, the Department of Defense is among the least enthusiastic about the Section 232 investigations into the impact of steel and aluminum imports on national security. After reviewing a draft of the Section 232 report last year, the DoD determined that trade restrictions proposed by Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross would “unnecessarily vex U.S. allies.” The […]
Diana and I will be traveling on Monday and Tuesday on business and will not be available in our offices and will have limited use of our cell phones. If you have an issue, please contact Brett Linton at 706-216-2140 or send emails to info@SteelMarketUpdate.com. I will be canvassing the market on Monday afternoon and […]
Current and future sentiment among flat rolled steel buyers showed a slight dip this month, due in part to the uncertainty over possible government trade action against imports. Viewed as a three-month moving average, however, industry optimism remains near record highs, according to the latest Steel Market Update Steel Buyers Sentiment Index. The index measures […]