Contributor: Kristen DiLandro

Tariffs are ultimately to blame for stagnant demand in the hot-rolled coil market, domestic market sources tell SMU.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and US President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday that they’ll be formulating a trade deal that works for both nations.  

Metallus and the United Steelworkers (USW) have agreed to a tentative four-year labor contract.

Warrior Met Coal has paid the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) $46.8 million in a lease sale of federal land it will use to expand its operations in Tuscaloosa County, Ala.  

Let’s take a quick tour of some key stories from SMU in the week of Sept. 29 - Oct. 3.

Participants in the hot-rolled sheet market expressed frustration with the continuing lack of demand this week. 

Trade groups cautioned that a prolonged shutdown could strain US industry.   

Following spot market plate price increase notices issued by domestic mills this past week, participants are contemplating the rationale behind the increases and whether they will stick. Some sources anticipate that current market conditions will shift in November and believe the increases may set a new "pricing floor."

The seven facilities Russel agreed to purchase are located in Iowa, North Carolina, Georgia, Texas, and Florida.

Metallus and the United Steelworkers (USW) union extended their contract to Oct. 15 as talks continue on a new labor deal.  

Metalforming manufacturers anticipate a decrease in near-term conditions, according to the Precision Metalforming Association's (PMA) Business Conditions Report for September.

SSAB Americas sent a price increase notification to customers announcing that transaction prices on all its products are increasing by a minimum of $60 per short ton (st). 

Domestic plate market participants are optimistic about the market despite the ongoing uncertainty that’s characterized most of 2025, sources said.  

Domestic mills praised the US International Trade Commission’s (ITC's) final determination that imports of corrosion-resistant (CORE) steel from 10 countries pose a threat to them.

The US International Trade Commission (ITC) finds that corrosion resistant steel (CORE) imports from 10 countries have caused material damage to domestic product producers, according to the ITC’s statement.  

This week’s announcement represents $300 million of the $11 billion commitment Nippon made for the government's approval to buy USS.

Canadian flat-rolled steelmaker Algoma Steel is reconsidering its presence in the US market after the doubling of US Section 232 tariffs on imported steel to 50%, a company spokeswoman said.

Nucor Plate Group announced that its patent-pending wide floor plate product is now available to customers in a statement on Monday. 

Over 140 John Deere employees at two of its Iowa facilities will be laid off in October.  

Hot-rolled coil market participants said they’re staying on their toes amid a market that continues to be characterized by uncertainty. A veteran Midwest-based service center operator contends that current conditions are unprecedentedly volatile. Being flexible with customers and strategic with mills is the only way to navigate through the uncertainty, he said. “No one wants […]

Participants in the US carbon and steel plate market are frustrated by the lack of activity following the Labor Day holiday weekend.  

The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) has added Worthington Steel to its membership roster and elected Geoff Gilmore, president and chief executive officer of the steel processor, to its board of directors. 

The US Department of Commerce announced that its second window for submitting applications for the inclusion of derivative steel and aluminum products in Section 232 tariffs is now open, according to the US Federal Register.  September’s Inclusion Window Sept. 15 through Sept. 29, applicants can email requests for inclusions to the Defense Industrial Base Programs.  The first […]

Half of the participants on this month's Air-Conditioning & Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI) Sheet Metal/Air Handling Council call expect galvanized steel base prices to remain flat at ~$48 per hundredweight ($960/short ton) for the next 30 days.

Geneva-based global commodities trader Mercuria is set to acquire a majority stake in Tata International, according to a report in India's Economic Times.

Glenfarne Alaska LNG and POSCO signed a preliminary strategic agreement during the GasTech Conference in Milan on Thursday.  

The United Steelworkers union has asked U.S. Steel to elaborate on its Granite City Works plans following reports that the steelmaker is ending processing at the facility.

Participants in the hot-rolled steel sheet market expect the market to remain subdued through the end of the year. 

Market sources say demand for domestic plate refuses to budge despite stagnating prices. 

With US economic indicators all over the map, it’s no wonder the steel market has experienced a whole lot of analysis paralysis this year.