This past week, Steel Market Update (SMU) conducted our beginning of September steel market survey. Of those responding to last week’s survey 52 percent were manufacturing companies, 35 percent steel service centers and the balance were composed of steel mills (4 percent), trading companies (4 percent), toll processors (3 percent) and suppliers to the industry […]
Mill lead times, as reported through our proprietary steel market survey, are shrinking on three of the four flat rolled product categories followed by Steel Market Update. Hot rolled lead times which were referenced on a weighted average basis at 4.5 weeks at the beginning of August are now at 4.0 weeks. However, the 4.0 […]
Sentiment Continues to Trend Higher (more optimistic) Steel Market Update (SMU) Steel Buyers Sentiment Index was measured earlier today at +40, down 3 points from the middle of August and well within the optimistic range for the index. Compared to one year ago buyers and sellers of flat rolled steel are feeling much better about […]
The Steel Market Update Price MoMo Index for flat rolled steel in the U.S. remained in positive territory this week for the 14th consecutive week. MoMo, a trailing indicator, is based upon the current hot rolled coil price weighed against the previous 12 week average spot price as recorded by Steel Market Update. MoMo […]
The Steel Market Update Price MoMo Index for flat rolled steel in the U.S. remained in positive territory this week for the 13th consecutive week. MoMo, a trailing indicator, is based upon the current hot rolled coil price weighed against the previous 12 week average spot price as recorded by Steel Market Update. MoMo […]
We had one of our members ask about the accuracy of the Steel Market Update (SMU) Price Momentum Indicator as we move between Higher, Neutral and Lower Momentum forecasts. Here is a graph of SMU hot rolled pricing (average) and our Momentum forecasts:
The percentage of service centers raising spot flat rolled steel prices dropped according to our most recent analysis of the flat rolled steel market. With flat rolled price ranges and averages stagnating at relatively high levels (compared to the lows for the year) distributors’ pricing appears to be leveling off as well. The service center […]
On Friday, August 23rd, Steel Market Update adjusted our SMU Price Momentum Indicator from “Higher” to “Neutral.” This change is meant to be an indicator of the direction we expect flat rolled steel prices to move over the next 30 days. Prior to Friday our Indicator was set at Higher for 10.5 weeks going back […]
Buyers and sellers of flat rolled steel expressed their growing optimism through our Steel Market Update (SMU) steel survey. The SMU Steel Buyers Sentiment Index registered +42 which is the highest level so far this year exceeding the previous high of +38 posted at the beginning of the month. Our index is now at the […]
With other periodicals calling a top or “peak” to flat rolled prices, the pressure has been put on Steel Market Update to clear up the muddied waters. From our perspective, the peak is usually identified when one of the domestic steel mills breaks ranks and starts cutting deals at numbers less than what they were […]
When reviewing our flat rolled price assessments it is important to note that our opinion is the range is more important than the average. Our index is nothing more than the average of our high and low. Our SMU Price Momentum Indicator which is currently at “Lower” provides the trend we see in our price […]
According to the results of our most recent steel market survey, 62 percent reported “some” of the increase (less than 50% of the increase amount) has been collected. Another 5 percent reported “most” of the increase as being collect (more than 50% of the announced amount) while 33 percent reported “none” of the announced increase […]
Steel Market Update (SMU) conducted our mid-March steel survey this past week. We invited 682 people representing approximately 650 different companies to participate in our survey. Of those responding 49 percent were manufacturing companies, 39 percent were service centers/wholesalers and the balance were trading companies (5 percent), steel mills (4 percent), toll processors (4 percent) […]
Key Market Indicators March 23rd 2013 The key indicators chart is designed to give a snapshot of the steel market on a specific date. The chart is stacked to separate the primary indicators of the general economy, of proprietary Steel Market Update indices, of both flat rolled and long product market indicators and finally of […]
Utilizing a trailing average hot rolled coil (HRC) price, the SMU Price MoMo Index for flat rolled steel in the U.S. remained below zero percent this week for the tenth week after eight consecutive weeks of positive momentum readings. MoMo is based upon the current hot rolled coil price weighed against the previous 12 week […]
SMU was following up on an article we did earlier this week regarding service center spot sales to other warehouses/dealers during our survey process. We wanted to go out to a larger audience and see what kind of impact distributors were seeing in their sales to other distributors. What we found through our survey is […]
Steel Market Update (SMU) ran a number of articles concerning the tepid support service centers were giving spot flat rolled steel price increases into the manufacturing segment of the industry. SMU surveys the industry twice per month and our most recent steel survey was capturing a very modest push by service centers to take their […]