Flack's Fabral launches solar division
The metal roofing manufacturer is launching Fabral Solar to integrate solar technology within commercial, residential, and agricultural structures.
Category: Market Data
Durable goods orders see uptick in January
New orders gained 3.1%, reaching $286.0 billion, according to the US Census Bureau.
Steelmaking raw materials more expensive in February
Prices for six of the seven steelmaking raw materials SMU tracks are increased from January to February, according to our latest analysis.
CRU: Trump orders Section 232 probe into copper
President Trump has directed Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to investigate copper imports into the US under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 on national security grounds.
Steel market chatter this week
On Monday and Tuesday of this week, SMU polled steel buyers on an array of topics, ranging from market prices, demand, inventories, imports and evolving market events.
SMU price ranges: The steel rocket ship continues to soar higher
Market participants might disagree over how high flat-rolled steel price might go and for how long they might remain elevated. But there is near total agreement on one thing: Prices are up sharply again this week. The gains come on the heels of waves of mill price increases (for sheet and for plate), expectations that scrap prices will rise again in March, and the threat of tariffs looming over the market.
CRU: Gerdau may opt to invest in US instead of Mexico amid tariff shake up
Brazilian long products producer Gerdau is now considering siting a 600,000 ton per year specialty steel plant in the United States, rather than Mexico as initially planned, in the wake of President Donald Trump’s imposition of 25% tariffs on steel imports into the US.
CRU: US smelter restarts more likely due to Trump tariffs but remain limited
US primary output is at its lowest level this century
CRU: Rising protectionism impacts global steel trade
US sheet prices surge following tariff announcement
SMU Survey: Current Buyers' Sentiment Index jumps, Future Sentiment slips
SMU’s Current Buyers’ Sentiment Index rocketed up this week, while the Future Buyers’ Sentiment Index edged down. The two indices are almost at parity.
Architecture firm billings remain down in January
Architecture firms continued to report a sharp reduction in billings in January, according to the latest Architecture Billings Index (ABI) released by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and Deltek.
SMU Survey: Mill lead times stretch to 10-month highs
Buyers responding to our latest market survey reported that steel mill lead times were stretching out this week for sheet and plate products tracked by SMU. The results weren’t much of a surprise. Production times have begun moving out following a wave of frenzied buying in response to stricter Section 232 announced by the Trump […]
SMU Survey: Mills slam door on buyers looking to talk price
Mills’ flexibility on price for spot orders has taken a nosedive to levels not seen since the end of March 2023.
SMU price ranges: Sheet and plate on a rocket ship to the moon (or Mars)
Sheet and plate prices surged higher this week on a wave of what some called “panic buying” following the Trump administration’s announcement of stricter Section 232 measures last week.
New York state manufacturing rebounds in February
Business activity in New York state’s manufacturing sector recovered nicely in February after a sharp decline the previous month, according to the latest Empire State Manufacturing Survey from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The general business conditions index rose 18 points to 5.7. This is a diffusion index, where a positive reading signifies […]
CRU: Scrap prices surge in the US, stay rangebound elsewhere
The CRU Metallics Price Indicator (CRUmpi) rose by 5.0% m/m in February to 293.7, a five-month high. Scrap prices increased in different degrees this month, reflecting the confidence level in the steel market across different regions. While US scrap prices rose sharply m/m due to limited availability, those in Europe and Asia had only small […]
Steel market chatter this week
Earlier this week, SMU polled steel buyers on an array of topics, ranging from market prices, demand, and inventories to imports and evolving market events.
Dodge Momentum Index jumps to record high in January
The Dodge Momentum Index (DMI) rose to a record high in January, according to the latest data released by Dodge Construction Network.
CRU: US steel prices to jump on new Trump tariffs
US steel prices set to jump after President Trump levies new tariffs.
SMU price ranges: Sheet and plate see widespread gains on higher scrap and trade measures
Each of the steel product prices tracked by SMU saw significant increases this week. All four of our sheet price indices rose by $30-50 per short ton (st) on average. Plate prices popped $60/st compared to the week prior.
CRU: China hits back with retaliatory tariffs on US
Targets include coal, liquified natural gas, crude oil, and other commodities
SMU Survey: Steel Buyers' Sentiment indicates increased optimism
After reaching multi-month lows in mid-January, SMU’s Steel Buyers’ Sentiment Indices rebounded this week to some of the highest readings recorded in months.
SMU Survey: Mill lead times fluctuate, extensions expected
While we have seen some movements in recent weeks, steel mill production times remain within a few days of the historical lows observed over the last two years, a trend observed since mid-2024.
SMU Survey: Mills less willing to negotiate on prices
Steel mill negotiation rates have declined in each of our last two surveys; this week’s rate is the lowest recorded since March 2024.
SMU price ranges: Market picks up steam
SMU’s steel price indices rose across the board this week. Sheet prices increased as much as $35 per short ton (st) compared to last week, while our average plate price ticked up by$10/st.
ISM: Manufacturing expands in January for first time in years
Following more than two years of contraction, US manufacturing activity rebounded in January according to the Institute for Supply Management.
SMU's January at a glance
SMU’s Monthly Review provides a summary of important steel market metrics for the previous month. Our latest report includes data updated through January 31st.
Tampa Steel Conference: Trade attorney says brace for turbulence
Steel and aluminum have been identified as high priorities for trade
Chicago Business Barometer rises in January
Despite the gain, the index remains below both the levels of November 2024 and the 2024 average.
Steelmaking raw material prices mixed in January
Prices for the seven steelmaking raw materials SMU tracks moved in differing directions from December to January, according to our latest analysis.