Category: Final Thoughts

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

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?

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. 

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.  

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.

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

Could an upcoming BRICS meeting spell trouble for President Trump's trade policy?

Another record-breaking SMU Steel Summit is in the books. Thanks to all of you – attendees, speakers, sponsors, and exhibitors – for making it possible it in what has been an uncertain year for steel.

Steel Summit 2025 has just launched, and we're off to an amazing start.

The big show is here again. SMU Steel Summit begins on Monday. This year, like last year, more than 1,500 people will be joining us. And I couldn’t be more excited to have everyone here in Atlanta.

With SMU Steel Summit starting in just a few days, I decided to go back and do a quick check on where things stand now compared to the week before Summit last year.

Is a pattern finally emerging in the post-Liberation Day tariff landscape?

Don't be puzzled. Solve our crossword, and get ready for Steel Summit 2025!

We're getting ready to initiate the 10-day countdown until Steel Summit 2025 in Atlanta. Liftoff is on Aug. 25, and the conference goes through Aug. 27. With the speed at which things have moved this year, it will be great to take a breath and reflect on what's happened so far.

Yesterday’s tragedy and loss of life at U.S. Steel’s Clairton Works is a stark reminder of how important safety in the workplace really is.

What are our scrap survey participants saying about the market?

What the word "sideways" means can depend on where you sit on the procurement spectrum.

Steel Market Update is proud to celebrate its 17th birthday this month.

We’re in the dog days of summer, and the question is whether the market will improve as lead times stretch into September. Your answer to that question might depend on where you are in the supply chain. And producers, it seems to me, are a lot more optimistic than consumers at the moment.

We're less than a month out from Steel Summit 2025. Have you already signed up?

A scrap trader looks back fondly at blast furnace steelmaking.

Is this just a severe case of the summer doldrums? Will demand improve in the fall, as it often does? Or has uncertainty around tariffs and the economy created a more lasting impact?

President Trump said a negotiated deal with Canada might not occur, and all existing tariffs, along with those set to take effect soon, will stay in place, according to media reports.

Is there any clarity to be hoped for on the tariff front?

A tariff on Brazilian pig iron could cause great upheaval in the market.

What to look out for regarding ferrous scrap ahead of Steel Summit.

We have a special addition to the agenda of this year's SMU Steel Summit that I’m excited to announce today. U.S. Steel President and CEO David Burritt will speak on the opening day of the Summit about the partnership between the iconic Pittsburgh-based steelmaker and Nippon Steel.

Is outer space steel's final frontier?

President Trump’s tariff policies have a lot more in common with a roundabout than you’d think.

The difference: The spat with Turkey was a big deal for steel. This time, the 50% reciprocal tariff for Brazil – if it goes into effect as threatened on Aug.1 – hits everything from coffee and to pig iron. It seems almost custom-built to inflict as much pain as possible on Brazil.