The European steel association EUROFER urged EU policymakers, member states and industry stakeholders to show solidarity against the U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum. U.S. tariffs are the wrong approach to dealing with the global overcapacity problem in steel, said EUROFER President Geert Van Poelvoorde at a press conference earlier this week. “We are facing […]
Anticipating the U.S. Commerce Department will soon begin considering applications for exemptions from the Trump administration tariffs on steel and aluminum, South Korea’s Dongkuk Steel has reportedly suspended its April exports to the United States. Reuters quoted a company spokesman who said the steelmaker has put its exports to the U.S. temporarily on hold while […]
Companies that import steel products can apply for relief from President Trump’s tariff immediately, even before the Commerce Department issues formal procedures, recommends Washington trade attorney Lewis Leibowitz. “I see no reason to wait for detailed procedures to come out from Commerce. A letter to the Secretary should suffice to get started,” he said. The […]
Much has been made of the damage the Section 232 actions may have on the economy and individual firms, but little has been said about how to mitigate costs and manage risks from the tariffs. Donald Bly, Associate Partner at Applied Value, LLC, a New York management consulting and investment group, offers some strategies on […]
It is still early, but Steel Market Update is already collecting comments and opinions on how the Section 232 tariffs are going to affect existing business in the United States. We heard everything from allocation stories to a few companies that reported higher prices but no customers for that higher priced steel. “This is a […]
President Trump wants the NAFTA talks concluded before upcoming elections in Mexico and the U.S., as he told Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in a phone call on Monday. Trudeau has been meeting with Canadian steel and aluminum workers this week with stops planned at Stelco and ArcelorMittal Dofasco on Tuesday. The call came on […]
Even though the Commerce Department has until next week to issue procedures for handling exclusion requests, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has announced via Twitter that his nation will be exempt from the tariffs on steel and aluminum imposed by the Trump administration March 8. The United States’ closest trading partners, Canada and Mexico, were […]
President Trump made headlines this week when he slapped a 25 percent tariff on steel imports from all nations except Canada and Mexico. His rationale is that the U.S. should treat other countries the way they treat us. Steel Market Update has heard many incorrect statements about how the rest of the industrialized world treats […]
Canadian steel mills like Algoma and Stelco are getting a reprieve from steel and aluminum tariffs, at least for now. The Section 232 tariffs imposed by President Trump will not affect Canada or Mexico provided they can complete a NAFTA agreement quickly and on U.S. terms. “For now, Canada and Mexico will be excluded from […]
Flanked by members of his administration and a group of steel and aluminum workers, President Trump signed measures today calling for a 25 percent tariff on imports of steel and a 10 percent tariff on imports of aluminum. But his comments leave the market far short of the clarity and certainty most had hoped for. […]
Reaction to the official announcement and signing of the Section 232 proclamation brought swift reaction from the industry and Congress. Opinions ranged from unwavering support, “the era of American trade surrender is coming to an end,” to total dismay, “the sweeping tariffs announced today are like dropping a bomb on a flea.” Supporting the 25 […]
Australia’s Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull warned that the steel and aluminum tariffs planned by President Trump will have consequences for construction in California. Australian producer BlueScope sends about 300,000 metric tons of steel slabs per year to its Steelscape facilities in California and Washington where it is transformed into metallic-coated and pre-painted steel used in […]
President Trump says there will be no tariff exclusions for Canada and Mexico unless a “new and fair NAFTA agreement is signed.” Translation: If you accede to our demands, we will exclude you from Section 232. Trump tweeted early on Monday morning: “We have large trade deficits with Mexico and Canada. NAFTA, which is under […]
The following article was written by trade attorney Lewis E. Leibowitz. Whenever you hear someone say that a policy move is vital and trivial at the same time, watch your wallet. The Sunday talk shows today featured spokesmen and commentators debating the impact of steel and aluminum tariffs. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and National […]
Steel Market Update received the following letter from a manufacturing company located in New England. This company is one of hundreds across the country who are concerned that President Trump’s tariff will increase their costs to manufacture products in the United States and they will then lose business to those who are providing the same […]
The White House announced that it would be formally announcing the remedies under Section 232 on steel and aluminum this morning. Then they said no, there would not be an announcement this week. Shortly after that information was shared by the White House, President Trump was asked a question… SMU advice to steel buyers: Do […]
The following article was written by trade attorney Lewis E. Leibowitz. In the article, he discusses what the president said he would do (25% tariff on steel, 10% aluminum) and what happens next (assuming the president actually announces the tariffs officially next week). Leibowitz will be at this year’s SMU Steel Summit Conference where we […]
President Trump says he will sign a measure next week calling for a 25 percent tariff on steel imports and a 10 percent tariff on aluminum imports under Section 232 because they pose a threat to the domestic industries and thus national security. Trump had looked set to make the trade action official today, even […]
President Trump’s announcement today of his intention to impose a 25 percent tariff on steel imports puts the steel industry on course for historic change. Historically good or historically bad, or perhaps some of both, depends on the individual’s perspective. Following are some of the reactions Steel Market Update received from readers, whose names were […]
President Trump met with representatives of the steel and aluminum industries at the White House today, during which he announced his intention to impose tariffs of 25 percent on steel imports and 10 percent on aluminum imports next week. Following is a transcript of the president’s exchange with the industry leaders: THE PRESIDENT: Thank you […]
The U.S. steel industry reacted with enthusiasm to the president’s decision to impose a 25 percent tariff under Section 232 on steel imports to the United States. Nucor Chairman and CEO John Ferriola said in a statement, “The president has consistently been a strong advocate for holding other countries accountable that systematically and flagrantly violate […]
There was a lot of buzz on the trade front today, from posturing over the next round of NAFTA negotiations to commentary on the 2018 “Economic Report of the President”: • Senate Finance Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-UT) told reporters that Congress will take “veto-proof” action if President Trump attempts to terminate NAFTA, adding that “we […]
NAFTA negotiators began round seven of talks in Mexico City on Sunday. The contentious rules-of-origin proposal was scheduled for three days of discussion but Jason Bernstein, the USTR’s chief negotiator on the issue, reportedly was called back to Washington after just one day. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer required Bernstein’s attendance at a “consultation” meeting […]
President Trump is favoring a 24 percent global tariff on steel imports, according to sources reported by multiple media outlets. Trump’s pick for Section 232 aluminum trade restrictions is a 10 percent tariff on all aluminum imports. The rumors are contrary to analysts’ expectations of a more targeted tariff on imports. Broad-based tariffs are likely […]
Ironically, the Department of Defense is among the least enthusiastic about the Section 232 investigations into the impact of steel and aluminum imports on national security. After reviewing a draft of the Section 232 report last year, the DoD determined that trade restrictions proposed by Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross would “unnecessarily vex U.S. allies.” The […]
Grant Aldonas believes Wilbur Ross “ill-served the president” when he released Section 232 recommendations that don’t address the real issues: curbing global steel overcapacity and dealing with Chinese illegal business practices. A keynote speaker at this year’s Port of Tampa Steel Conference, Aldonas should know what he is talking about. As a former Undersecretary of […]
International trading companies are reacting to the report released by Department of Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross recommending three options to protect the U.S. steel industry based on national security concerns. As we speak with trading companies here at the Port of Tampa Steel Conference, as well as traders located around the country, we are finding […]
The possible forthcoming Section 232 decisions on steel and aluminum imports have alarmed nations across the globe. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said he “wouldn’t be surprised if there were retaliations to the measures,” but perhaps he underestimated the negative response to his recommendations. Numerous countries have expressed concern for their own domestic markets, while others […]
The American Institute for International Steel, which represents foreign steelmakers, called the Commerce Department’s recommendations in the Section 232 report on steel imports “excessive and unnecessary” and warned of global retaliation that would push the U.S. and world toward a recession. AIIS Board Chairman John Foster issued the following statement on Monday: “The recommendations in […]
In a press conference on Friday, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said his Section 232 investigation has concluded that steel imports do pose a significant threat to U.S. national security and he is recommending three possible remedies to President Trump that call for tariffs or quotas on foreign steel. Those alternatives include: A global tariff of […]