Nucor Corp. rolled its first steel plate at its new $1.7-billion plate mill in Brandenburg, Ky., on Dec. 30, the company said in a statement on Tuesday, Jan. 3. The Charlotte, N.C.-based steelmaker confirmed final commissioning and first customer shipments from the mill are expected in the first quarter of 2023. “Congratulations to our more than […]
Nucor Corp. will keep plate prices unchanged with the opening of its February order book. The move comes after the steelmaker announced a sharp decrease in late November. The Charlotte, N.C.-based steelmaker said the move was effective on Dec. 28, in a letter to customers. Published adders and extras will continue to be applied, and the […]
New orders for US-manufactured durable goods fell in November to a seasonally adjusted $270.6 billion, according to the US Census Bureau. Last month’s downward move was the first decline in four months, and well below consensus estimates. Shipments were again slightly higher month over month (MoM), moving higher for 18 of the last 19 months despite […]
Global crude steel production was estimated at 139.1 million metric tons in November, as steelmakers around the world cut output by 4.2 million metric tons vs. the same year-ago period, the World Steel Association (worldsteel) reported. Last month’s estimated production was also down sequentially, declining 5.6%, or 8.2 million metric tons, from October’s total crude […]
World crude steel production declined month on month (MoM) in November, driven by a widespread decline worldwide. Global production was also down nearly 3% vs. the same period last year, according to World Steel Association (worldsteel) data. November’s output lost ground when compared to October, down 5.6%, declining for the second straight month. World crude […]
The US economy’s growth was even better than expected in the third quarter, the US Commerce Department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) said in its third and final review. Gross Domestic Production (GDP) accelerated to a 3.2% annualized pace in Q3. That’s an improvement from the previously estimated government reading in November, which showed 2.9% […]
US consumer confidence provided a bit of a boost and a hopeful sign for the economy as it bounced back in December. Following back-to-back monthly declines, the headline index in December rose sharply as American consumers’ confidence in the economy grew as high inflation continued to ease, The Conference Board reported. The headline Consumer Confidence […]
US Steel Corp. and the United Steelworkers (USW) union announced on Tuesday they have agreed to a new labor pact after USW members ratified the terms of a new, four-year collective agreement. The USW-represented employees — roughly 11,0000 across 13 US Steel flat-rolled, iron ore mining, and tubular operations — voted “overwhelmingly” in favor of […]
Raw steel production by US mills fell again last week as capacity utilization slipped to only 72.9%, according to data released by the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) on Monday, Dec. 19. The decline came as mills in the South and Northeast cut production, even as those in the Great Lakes, Midwest, and West […]
Monthly Key Market Indicators (KMI) deteriorated over the past month after steadily improving since July, while steel buyer sentiment inched up after it had tumbled to a 26-month low, according to the latest analysis by Steel Market Update. Positive and neutral indicators have eased, while negative indicators rose. Despite recent improvements, headwinds remain. The economy […]
Imported sheet and plate products’ arrival at US ports varied in November, leading their share of the US market to diverge, even though domestic shipments declined during the month. That’s according to a Steel Market Update analysis of import data from the US Commerce Department and domestic shipment figures from the American Iron and Steel […]
Imported sheet and plate products arrived at US ports at a slightly higher clip in October, though their share of the US market diverged as domestic shipments varied during the month. That’s according to a Steel Market Update analysis of import data from the US Commerce Department and domestic shipment figures from the American Iron […]
US light-vehicle (LV) sales decelerated in November, coming in at an unadjusted figure of 1.12 million units, the US Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) reported. Despite the month-on-month (MoM) decline, last month’s total was still 10.4% higher year-on-year (YoY), and the fourth consecutive month to see YoY increases in sales. Prior to August, YoY sales […]
Total US mill shipments of steel products edged up in October, recovering slightly month on month (MoM), after falling in September to their lowest total year to date (YTD). Mill shipments have been fluctuating up and down all year with little consistency, and October was no different. October’s shipments totaled 7.65 million tons, a 0.9% increase […]
Producer prices grew more than expected in November, thwarting hopes that inflation could be easing, the US Labor Department reported. Last month’s Producer Price Index (PPI), a measure of the prices received for final-demand products, advanced 0.3% month-on-month (MoM) and 7.4% from a year ago, the smallest annual gain since May 2021, according to data […]
North American auto assemblies declined by 6.2% in November, reversing the nearly 3% increase in October. Last month’s assembly output was among the lowest totals year-to-date (YTD) and just 3.7% higher year-on-year (YoY), according to LMC Automotive data. Though the market remains supply-constrained due to ongoing parts and supply shortages, November’s downgraded production continued to […]
Raw steel production by US mills inched up last week, gaining ground for the second straight week, according to the latest data from the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI). Despite the increase, utilization remained below the 80% mark for the 22nd consecutive week. Domestic steel output was 1,635,000 net tons during the week ending […]
The US economy added 263,000 new jobs in November, again outperforming consensus expectations but slightly decreasing from October’s upwardly revised 284,000, according to data from the US Department of Labor. November’s job growth was much better than expected despite the Federal Reserve’s aggressive efforts to slow the labor market and tackle inflation. The jobless rate […]
The US labor market added 263,000 jobs in November, down from an upwardly revised total of 284,000 payroll gains the month prior. Last month’s total, although better than expected, still marked the slowest pace of job gains since April 2021, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The unemployment rate held steady […]
The construction industry added 20,000 employees in November month over month, after adding just 1,000 in October. A boost in wages for hourly workers vs. competing industries drove the sector’s unemployment rate lower, the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) said in a statement. The struggle to locate qualified workers continued, though, the report, released […]
Total construction spending declined in October driven by widespread decreases in most major categories, reported the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) on recent government data. While residential, commercial, highway, and manufacturing outlays fell during the month, contractors’ struggles to complete projects remain impacted by the lack of laborers. Open positions at the end of […]
Raw steel production by US mills edged up last week after declining the prior two weeks. Despite the increase, utilization remained below the 80% mark for the 21st consecutive week, according to the latest data from the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI). Domestic steel output was 1,630,000 net tons during the week ending Dec. […]
This past week was a rather notable one in recent memory when it comes to steel prices. We saw a wave of $60-per-ton sheet price hikes announced by domestic mills. It’s somewhat of an unfamiliar sight in the industry over the past couple of years or so, but just about everyone got in on the […]
US hot-rolled coil (HRC) prices edged up slightly last week on a wave of $60-per-ton sheet price hikes announced by domestic mills. The move appears to have at least temporarily stopped the bleeding seen over the last two months. Time will tell if the price hike attempt finds support. Just about everyone announced an increase of […]
Friedman Industries continues to see benefits of its April acquisition of Plateplus Inc., but sharply declining steel prices significantly suppressed earnings. The Longview, Texas-based steel processor and manufacturer said the fiscal 2023 second quarter ended Sept. 30, 2022 was a “period of considerable margin compression” driven by sharply declining hot-rolled coil (HRC) prices. Friedman reported […]
US plate prices were mostly flat this week, but more erosion could be on the horizon now that Nucor announced another round of price cuts. SMU’s most recent check of the market on Tuesday, Nov. 29 placed plate prices between $1,480-1,620 per ton with an average of $1,550 per ton FOB mill east of the […]
US manufacturing activity contracted in November for the first time since May 2020, according to the Institute for Supply Management (ISM). The ISM’s November manufacturing PMI dipped below the neutral 50.0 mark — the level that typically divides expansion from contraction. It was slowed as new orders remained in contraction territory, while prices fell further […]
Nearly three-quarters of US metro areas added construction jobs year-over-year (YoY) through October, according to Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) figures. Despite the employment boost, job vacancies outpaced hiring as construction firms struggled to find enough qualified workers to hire, the report said. Construction employment increased in 268, or 75%, of 358 metro areas […]
The US economy’s growth was stronger than expected in the third quarter, the US Commerce Department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) said in its latest report. Gross Domestic Production (GDP) accelerated to a 2.9% annualized pace in Q3. That’s an improvement from the initial government reading in October which showed 2.6% growth in economic activity. […]
US consumer confidence slipped again in November, declining for the second straight month amid ongoing high inflation and rising interest rates. Despite the weaker outlook, household spending has had a generally healthy start to winter holiday shopping, The Conference Board reported. The headline Consumer Confidence Index fell by two points in November to a reading […]