Category: SMU Data and Models

Most steel buyers continue to report that mills are open to negotiating spot prices. Negotiation rates have remained high for most of the past three months.

Current and future scrap sentiment indices declined this month, according to SMU’s latest ferrous scrap survey data.

SMU’s August ferrous scrap market survey results are now available on our website to all premium members.

The Steel Demand Index now stands at 42, up from 38.5 in early July, but off from a four-year high of 65.0 in late February.

Sheet prices slipped again this week amid discounting from certain mills and ongoing concerns about demand.

SMU’s Steel Buyers’ Sentiment Indices eased this week, both approaching multi-year lows.

SMU’s latest steel buyers market survey results are now available on our website to all premium members.

Steel mill lead times on sheet products contracted across the board this week compared to early July, while plate production times moderately extended, according to steel buyers responding to this week’s market survey.

More than nine out of every ten steel buyers polled by SMU this week reported that mills are negotiable on new order prices. Negotiation rates have increased in each of our last three surveys following the early-June lull, reaching a record high this week.

SMU’s Mill Order Index (MOI) rebounded in June after declining for three straight months. The gain complemented a modest boost in service center shipments for the month, according to our latest service center inventories data.

The volume of finished steel entering the US market remained elevated in May, in line with April figures, according to SMU’s analysis of Department of Commerce and American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) data

Flat rolled = 55.8 shipping days of supply Plate = 59.4 shipping days of supply Flat rolled US service centers’ flat-rolled steel supply edged down in June with a modest boost to shipments month on month (m/m). At the end of June, US service centers carried 55.8 shipping days of flat roll supply, down from […]

Both current and future scrap sentiment jumped this month, though survey participants reported responses before key trade news was announced.

SMU’s Steel Buyers’ Sentiment Indices moved in opposite directions this week. After rebounding from a near five-year low in late June, Current Sentiment slipped again. At the same time, Future Sentiment climbed to a four-month high. Both indices continue to show optimism among buyers about their company’s chances for success, but suggest there is less confidence in that optimism than earlier in the year.

SMU’s ferrous scrap market survey results are now available on our website to all premium members. After logging in at steelmarketupdate.com, visit the pricing and analysis tab and look under the “survey results” section for “ferrous scrap survey” results. Past scrap survey results are also available under that selection. If you need help accessing the survey results […]

SMU’s latest steel buyers market survey results are now available on our website to all premium members. After logging in at steelmarketupdate.com, visit the pricing and analysis tab and look under the “survey results” section for “latest survey results.” Past survey results are also available under that selection. If you need help accessing the survey results, or if […]

Mill lead times for sheet products were steady to slightly longer this week compared to our late June market check, while plate lead times contracted, according to steel buyers responding to this week’s market survey.

Domestic mills are more open to talk price on new orders than they were in June, according to most steel buyers responding to our market survey this week. Negotiation rates have recovered from the early-June lull and are now just a few percentage points shy of the high levels seen late last year.

A look at SMU data for the month of June.

Both of SMU’s Steel Buyers’ Sentiment Indices edged higher this week. Current Sentiment rebounded from a near five-year low, while Future Sentiment rose to a two-month high

SMU’s latest steel buyers market survey results are now available on our website to all premium members.

Following the uptick seen two weeks ago, lead times eased this week for all four sheet products tracked by SMU, while plate lead times held steady, according to this week’s market survey.

The majority of steel buyers responding to our latest market survey say domestic mills are more willing to talk price on sheet and plate products than they were earlier this month. Sheet negotiation rates rebounded across the board compared to early June, while our plate negotiation rate hit a full 100%.

SMU’s Mill Order Index (MOI) declined for a third straight month in May, but only marginally.

According to our latest analysis, prices for four of the seven steelmaking raw materials we track declined from May to June. Collectively, these materials declined 3% month over month (m/m) and are down 9% compared to three months ago.

Flat rolled = 57.1 shipping days of supply Plate = 55.7 shipping days of supply Flat rolled US service centers reined in flat roll supply in May, coinciding with declining shipments. At the end of May, service centers carried 57.1 shipping days of supply, according to adjusted SMU data. That’s down slightly from 57.6 shipping […]

If you’re feeling a sudden jerk and a case of tariff whiplash coming on, you’re not alone.

SMU’s latest steel buyers market survey results are now available on our website to all premium members. After logging in at steelmarketupdate.com, visit the pricing and analysis tab and look under the “survey results” section for “latest survey results.” Past survey results are also available under that selection. If you need help accessing the survey results, or if […]

SMU’s Steel Buyers’ Sentiment Indices moved in opposing directions this week. Our Current Steel Buyers’ Sentiment Index sharply fell to one of the lowest levels recorded in five years, while Future Buyers’ Sentiment marginally improved.

All five of the averages for sheet and plate mill lead times tracked by SMU extended moderately this week, according to buyers responding to our latest market survey.