Category: Features

Ternium Mexico wants the Commerce Department to delay making its final decision in the ongoing corrosion-resistant steel dumping investigation.

With the tariff craziness showing no signs of abating, we take you on a tour of the current situation.

“CBP expects full compliance from the trade community for accurate reporting and payment of the additional duties. CBP will take enforcement action on non-compliance," the agency said in a March 7 bulletin.

Section 232 tariffs are expected to go into effect March 12.

Raw steel mill output rebounded last week after falling to one of the lowest levels of the year, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI). Production is now at the second-highest weekly rate recorded so far in 2025.

The penalties are expected to be reinstated on Wednesday, March 12. 

One thing we've learned from our survey here at SMU: When prices are rising, people have a lot to say. You can be assured that with our most recent survey, the comments were coming in fast and furious.

The administration’s trade rollercoaster is moving at record speeds, running along the rails of innovation and expansion. But it can be confusing and difficult to keep up with. US manufacturers that follow these developments closely could benefit from the ride. Companies that miss new updates, or fail to accurately interpret their duty liability, could be left feeling queasy. Some rollercoasters are not for the faint of heart, and this one is a bit like Space Mountain. We are all riding without much ability to see the next turn or drop.

Ten US importers are on the hook to pay two years’ worth of anti-dumping and countervailing duties that US Customs says they had tried to illegally evade.

Steel imports ended 2024 on a low note, with November trade falling to a one-year low and December seeing a modest 3% recovery. Then as the new year began, import volumes spiked.

SMU interviews JSW USA CEO Robert Simon.

US rig counts remain slightly above multi-year lows, while Canadian activity is experiencing a seasonal decline from a recent seven-year high.

SMU’s Buyers’ Sentiment Indices both declined this week but remain strong. This indicates buyers are still optimistic about their companies' ability for success.

Wonder what the fallout from all the Trump tariffs might be? A manufacturing renaissance? A post-WWII order in ashes? Or something a little more down the middle? Then register for our next Community Chat on Thursday, March 13 at 11 am ET. Yes, you read that correctly, SMU is shattering precedent by holding a Community Chat on a day that is not Wednesday. Our featured speaker will be Alan Price, a leading trade attorney at Wiley and someone whose columns you read regularly in SMU.

Before we get whipsawed by the current moment, it’s important to reflect on optimism. Whatever happens, consumers are going to need steel.

Buyers responding to our latest market survey reported longer lead times this week on all of the sheet and plate products SMU tracks.

The majority of the steel buyers responding to our latest market survey reported that domestic mills are not open to negotiating prices on new orders this week.

The latest on the trade war

Mexico has launched an anti-dumping investigation into imports of hot-rolled steel from China and Vietnam.

On 4 March, new 25% blanket tariffs across all products exported to the USA from Canada and Mexico are now in effect. The only exception is Canadian energy products, which will be assessed a 10% tariff.

April 2 is when reciprocal tariffs are expected to kick in.

Remember infrastructure week in Trump 1.0? It became a running joke. Because it was almost always derailed by whatever the scandal of the day was. In Trump 2.0, we've got tariff week. And unlike infrastructure week, tariff week is no joke.

Don't forget that Trump's reinstatement of the Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum imports is slated for Wednesday, March 12.

“It is completely shocking for the United States to treat a long-time and fair trading partner in this manner,” the Canadian Steel Producers Association said.

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers slammed the use of "broad and indiscriminate" penalties.

Steel Manufacturers Association (SMA) President Philip K. Bell stressed a mood of "cautious optimism" for steel on what turned out to be Tariff Eve.

SMU’s Monthly Review provides a summary of key SMU steel market metrics for the previous month, with the latest data updated through February 28th.

Raw steel mill production declined last week to one of the lowest levels seen this year, according to recent figures released by the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI).

President Trump reaffirmed Monday afternoon that his 25% universal tariff on all imports from Canada and Mexico would take effect on Tuesday. “Tomorrow – tariffs 25% on Canada and 25% on Mexico. And that’ll start,” Trump told reporters Monday, according to an Associated Press report. “They’re going to have to have a tariff.”

While Congress has given the president enormous power over trade policy, the president wants to test the limits of that authority. If there are no guardrails, our economic and political liberty may be on the block. Stay tuned.