This week, the SMU Fair Value HRC (hot rolled coil) Model has spot HRC pricing below Fair Value for the third week in a row after nine consecutive weeks of higher HRC prices. This is due to the SMU average spot HRC index remaining the same at $610 per ton and scrap inputs remaining the […]
Written by: Sandy Williams One of the biggest drivers of steel usage – particularly galvanized steel – is in the automotive segment of the industry. The automotive industry has been helping keep the steel industry afloat since the recession hit and each year since 2009 the industry has both sold and produced more cars and […]
After speaking with Platts on Friday – Mr. Surma of US Steel was correct in his call with analysts, there is one index which has hot rolled coil (Midwest) at $630 this week. A split has developed amongst the indexes as various price points have been gathered over the past week to ten days (depending […]
Written by: Peter Wright Raw steel production in 2012 was 97.8 million tons, up by 3.5 million tons from 2011. Steel mill shipments direct to the construction industry in 2012 were 15.6 million tons, (Figure 1). Shipments from service centers and converters to the construction industry are not classified but by proportion are about 12 […]
Written by: John Packard & Sandy Williams Steel Market Update is adding more strength to our newsletter and website team. Peter Wright will be joining SMU in a writing/analysis capacity with special emphasis on the development of steel and economic indicators which will be of value in forecasting future steel needs in both the flat […]
Our next Steel 101 workshop is looking like another well-rounded group with representatives from the manufacturing sector, service centers, metal building, scrap companies, steel mills and one of our own (Sandy Williams). We have had freight and railroad companies express interest, trading companies, the AIIS, rebar companies, full-line service centers, electrical companies, mining companies, steel […]
One week ago, ArcelorMittal circulated their price increase announcement and in their internal memo the company raised the issue of, “The market manipulation and discounting of the CRU has had a dampening effect on industry spot prices.” AM then went on to raise prices by $45 per ton but did so by taking the benchmark […]
Written by: Sandy Williams The Chicago Purchasing Managers Index registered 55.6 in January, a 5.6 point increase from last month and the highest level since April 2012. Business Activity surged in production to 60.9 and new orders to 58.2, both 10 month highs. Employment registered 58.0, up 4.2 points from December and the largest gain […]
Written by: Sandy Williams Severstal NA sales of rolled products rose 17 percent in 2012 to 4.46 million tonnes (4.9 million net tons), up from 3.8 million tonnes (4.18 million net tons) in 2011. Fourth quarter sales were at 967,265 tonnes (1.06 million net tons), down 10 percent from the previous quarter. In 2012, Severstal […]
NLMK USA sales in 2012 grew 5 percent to 1.742 million tonnes (1.920 million net tons) from 1.658 million tonnes in 2011 (1.827 million net tons). Of the total, NLMK Indiana had a record hot rolled steel output of 725,000 tonnes (799,175 net tons), a 19 percent increase year-over-year. The balance of the hot rolled […]
Steel Market Update likes to review the transcripts of the earnings conference calls between analysts and the steel mills to see what we can glean from the comments being made by the top executives at the mills. We found a number of items of interest in the U.S. Steel conference call. USS Running at 90% […]
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 third 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 […]
This will most likely be the last time Steel Market Update will use the table below. We will begin rolling out some new products in the coming days which are meant to replace and improve upon what we have been providing our members to date. We will go into more details on the changes soon. […]
Written by: Brett Linton The American Iron & Steel Institute (AISI) reported their final raw steel production numbers for the month of December 2012. This estimation is different than the weekly raw steel production as it is based on 75 percent of the domestic mills reporting versus 50 percent for the weekly estimates. Total raw […]
Written by: Brad Clark, Director of Steel Trading, Kataman Metals U.S. Midwest #1 Busheling Ferrous Scrap (AMM) Uneventful Before Next Month Pricing Begins The physical busheling market has been characteristically quiet this week as both dealers and mills jockey for position ahead of next week when price negotiations will begin in full swing. All signs […]
Written by: Brad Clark, Director of Steel Trading, Kataman Metals Settlement prices have barely moved this week as the recent price hikes have done little to inspire the futures market. After a couple of month of sideways movements in the physical market the last couple of weeks have seen the market take a steep turn […]
Our Steel 101: Introduction to Steelmaking & Market Fundamentals Workshop is quickly filling up. We have about 6 spots left available for our February 27-28 workshop which will be held in the Columbus, Mississippi area and include a tour of the Severstal Columbus mini-mill. You can learn more about our program on our website or […]
Written by: Sandy Williams Caterpillar Inc. had its best year on record for sales and profit. Revenue for 2012 was $65.875 billion, up 10 percent from 2011. Earnings per share were $8.42, up 15 percent compared with last year despite an impairment charge related to a Chinese acquisition. Fourth quarter revenues were at $16.075 billion, […]
Written by: Sandy Williams New orders and shipments for manufactured durable goods both rose in December. New orders increased $10 billion or 4.6 percent to $230.7 billion, rising for the fourth consecutive month according to figures released by the Department of Commerce. New orders have been up seven of the last eight months, with transportation […]
As if the south is not already flooded with flat rolled steel mills, Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe and Big River Steel CEO John Correnti announced earlier today that if the bonds are approved by the Arkansas legislature a new $1 billion steel mill will be built in Arkansas. Details were lacking regarding the type of […]
The American Iron & Steel Institute (AISI) reported their estimated raw steel production data for the week ending January 26, 2013. According to AISI estimates the U.S. steel industry produced 1,806,000 net tons of raw steel last week. This represents a decrease of 1.0 percent compared to the week earlier and is 5.8 percent lower […]
Written by Sandy Williams United States Steel Corporation reported a net loss of $50 million for the fourth quarter of 2012 compared to net income of $44 million in the third quarter and a net loss of $211 million in fourth quarter 2011. Total earnings for the year 2012 showed a net loss of […]
Written by: Sandy Williams Nucor Corporation announced today that fourth quarter earnings were $136.9 million and flat compared to net earnings of $137.1 million in the same quarter of 2011. Earnings were up in the fourth quarter from $110.3 million in the third quarter of 2012. Total net earnings for 2012 were $504.6 million, compared […]
Written by: Sandy Williams Steel Dynamics doubled its fourth quarter earnings from last year. Net income was $60.57 in fourth quarter 2012 compared to $30.20 million in 2011, and $13 million in third quarter 2012. Results included a positive tax adjustment of $16 million. Steel shipments for the quarter dropped slightly from 1.464 million tons […]
Written by: Sandy Williams AK Steel reported net loss of 230.4 million for the fourth quarter 2012 compared to a net loss of 193.9 million in fourth quarter of 2011. Results include a pre-tax pension corridor charge of $157.3 million and a non-cash income tax charge of $96.4 million. Excluding these charges AK Steel […]
Mid-Atlantic Projected Higher – Midwest Sideways to Slightly Lower The February scrap markets are beginning to take shape and our sources are advising SMU that the negativity which existed one or two weeks ago may be waning. Indications are now for a rising market in the east and a sideways market (with a chance for […]
As we made our rounds over the past few days we found a number of the smaller mills who had not yet announced price increases and were continuing to collect orders at the previous prices. We also found a few instances of larger mills continuing to collect prices at the lower end of our scale […]
On Thursday I attended the American Institute for International Steel (AIIS) West Coast Dinner in Long Beach, California. Many thanks to David Phelps, president of the AIIS and his West Coast team who did a great job with the dinner and the program. A couple of quick notes to share with our readers, Marcel Van […]
According to Baker Hughes data from January 25th, 2013, the U.S rig count for this week is 1,753 rigs exploring for or developing oil or natural gas. This number represents an increase of 4 rigs from last week. Compared to last year the 1,753 count is a decrease of 255 rigs. Canadian rigs increased by […]