Category: Region

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and US President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday that they’ll be formulating a trade deal that works for both nations.  

The three Canadian companies have announced a strategic partnership to support the development of an ultra-high-speed transit line from Edmonton to Calgary.

Gerdau is repositioning its North American business to capitalize on a sharp shift in steel trade flows driven by elevated tariffs across the US, Canada, and Mexico.

US counts continue to hover just above historic lows, while Canadian figures remain comparatively healthy.

Each of our Sentiment Indices continues to reflect that steel buyers are positive about their present and future business prospects, though that confidence has eased considerably compared to the beginning of the year.

The price gap between stateside hot band and landed offshore product narrowed this week. Still, with the 50% Section 232 tariff, most imports remain much more expensive than domestic material.

Representatives of at least six companies interested in acquiring AHMSA have reportedly begun to carry out physical inspections of the insolvent company’s assets.

Jack Biegalski, former president and CEO of American Heavy Plates, has been named the new CEO of the Esmark Steel Group.

A recent IIMA meeting in Brazil shows how the US and much of the rest of the world are operating in parallel realities.

Sheet and plate lead times saw minor shifts this week, according to SMU’s latest market survey. Sheet times have inched up over the last month but remain within days of multi-year lows, as they have since May. Plate lead times have bobbed within a tight range for months, hovering roughly a week longer than this time last year.

The Institute for Supply Management’s (ISM) latest monthly report on manufacturing reflects a bleak view of American industry in September.

Trade groups cautioned that a prolonged shutdown could strain US industry.   

Steel buyers say mills remain slightly more willing to negotiate spot prices for sheet and plate products than in mid-September, according to our latest market survey.

The Italian government has received 10 offers for the former Ilva integrated steel works at Taranto, but only two bidders are interested in purchasing all of the company’s assets.

In the Americas, the ongoing conversion to EAF melting is driving demand for prime grades of scrap and increased use of ore-based metallics

We moved our pricing momentum indicators from “lower” to “neutral” for all sheet products this week. For those keeping score, we had been at “lower” for six weeks. And I know some of you think we should have been there for even longer.

Market participants predicted that prices should be at or near a bottom. But while most seemed to agree on that point, many also said they saw little upside given a quiet spot market and ongoing concerns about demand.

The Chicago Business Barometer's September reading indicates a softening in overall business activity in the Midwest for the third consecutive month, with new orders and backlogs retreating further.

Upended by the Trump regime's tornado of tariffs, Algoma Steel is pivoting on its cross-border business model, shifting its focus to supplying the Canadian market.

Metalforming manufacturers anticipate a decrease in near-term conditions, according to the Precision Metalforming Association's (PMA) Business Conditions Report for September.

German service center Klöckner and Co. has agreed to sell seven of its US locations to Canadian service center Russel Metals Inc. for approximately $119 million, the companies said in press releases on Sunday.

Voestalpine and partners have begun building an industrial-scale Hy4Smelt demonstration plant in Linz, Austria, which they hope will become key in the decarbonization of steel.

Oil and gas drilling activity increased this week in the US and Canada for the third consecutive week, according to the latest Baker Hughes rig count data. US counts continue to hover just above historic lows, while Canadian figures remain comparatively healthy.

Domestic mills praised the US International Trade Commission’s (ITC's) final determination that imports of corrosion-resistant (CORE) steel from 10 countries pose a threat to them.

Meanwhile, the nation’s largest rail union said they supported the tie-up between Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern once Union Pacific agreed to secure union jobs.

Most steelmaking raw material prices held steady or ticked higher over the past month

Algoma Steel has publicly confirmed that it might scale back its presence in the US market. It's no secret why: 50% Section 232 tariffs remain in place against Canada, which has traditionally been one of our closest allies.

The US International Trade Commission (ITC) finds that corrosion resistant steel (CORE) imports from 10 countries have caused material damage to domestic product producers, according to the ITC’s statement.  

Architecture firms reported a modest improvement in billings through August, yet business conditions remained soft, according to the latest Architecture Billings Index (ABI) release from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and Deltek.

The ferrous scrap market is still searching for clues about the direction of the October market.