Contributor: Laura Miller

Last week was a newsy one for the US sheet market. Nucor’s announcement that it would publish a weekly HR spot price was the talk of the town – whether that was in chatter among colleagues, at the Boy Scouts of America Metals Industry dinner, or in SMU’s latest market survey. Some think that it could Nucor's spot HR price could bring stability to notoriously volatile US sheet prices, according to SMU's latest steel market survey. Others think it’s too early to gauge its impact. And still others said they were leery of any attempt by producers to control prices.

Domestic shipments of heating and cooling equipment soared in February, according to the latest data released from the Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI).

U.S. Steel Corp.’s impending sale to Japan’s Nippon Steel Corp. (NSC) has cleared one hurdle: USS stockholders voted overwhelmingly in favor of the nearly $15 billion merger.

While shipping and supply chains have always been subject to wars, pirates, privateers, geopolitical issues, and natural disasters, it seems that “it’s been busier lately when it comes to dealing with significant supply chain disruptions,” according to logistics expert Anton Posner.

The market appears to be taking a pause after the heavy buying that occurred in March.

The United Steelworkers (USW) union is calling out Nippon Steel for already prioritizing its Japanese operations at the expense of American workers despite forging ahead with its proposed plan to purchase U.S. Steel.

Cleveland-Cliffs and the Global Steel Climate Council (GSCC) are two of the newest members to join the World Steel Association (worldsteel).

Martin Lindqvist announced he will be stepping down as president and CEO of Swedish steelmaker SSAB.

AHMSA’s new investors, Argentem Creek Partners, have plans for a potential staggered restart of operations at the Mexican steelmaker.

Steel shipments from US mills were lower in February, both from January and from last year.

The US Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration (ITA) has revised upwards the antidumping duty (AD) rates on imports of cold-rolled steel flat products from two South Korean producers.

In a first-of-its-kind project, U.S. Steel will soon begin capturing carbon emissions from its blast furnaces at its Gary Works in Indiana.

A prominent US senator has asked the White House to investigate Nippon Steel Corp.’s (NSC) ties to China as the Japanese steelmaker seeks to acquire U.S. Steel.

US construction spending in February was mostly steady from January but showed significant gains from last year.

Reliance Inc. has acquired flat-rolled steel service center MidWest Materials of Perry, Ohio.

U.S. Steel Corp. will hold a special shareholder meeting on Friday, April 12, to vote on whether to approve or deny Japan’s Nippon Steel Corp.’s (NSC) nearly $15-billion acquisition of the Pittsburgh-based steelmaker.

Electra has commissioned a clean ironmaking pilot plant in Boulder, Colo.

SMU latest' steel market survey paints the picture of sheet market that has hit bottom and begun to rebound. Lead times are extending again after stabilizing earlier this month. Mills are far less willing to negotiate lower sheet prices - even if there are still deals to be had on plate, according to the steel buyers we canvassed.

After stabilizing in our last check of the market, production times for flat-rolled steel have begun to push out further, according to steel buyers responding to SMU's market survey this week.

Metalformers are expecting business conditions to remain steady over the next few months, according to the March Business Conditions Report from the Precision Metalforming Association.

Galvanized buyers reported solid demand and balanced inventories this week and were anticipating the sheet price increase announced by Cleveland-Cliffs on Wednesday.

GrafTech International has appointed Timothy K. Flanagan as the company’s president and CEO, effective March 26.

Rio de Janeiro-based metals and mining conglomerate Vale could potentially build a new plant for the production of iron ore briquettes in the US.

With the help of a large government grant, SSAB may soon expand its operations in the US – including constructing a fossil-fuel-free green ironmaking facility in Mississippi.

The Department of Energy (DOE) announced on Monday six projects that will receive up to $1.5 billion in funding to further decarbonize the iron and steel industry.

Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. has plans to replace the blast furnace at its Middletown Works in Ohio with a direct-reduced iron (DRI) plant and two electric melting furnaces (EMFs).

Worthington Steel is taking a pause on M&A activity as it focuses on progressing its electrical steel expansions in Mexico and Canada.

A temporary surplus of rebar on the West Coast is forcing CMC to alter the planned ramp-up of its Arizona 2 micro-mill, the company's leader said on Thursday.

SMU caught up with Barry Zekelman, executive chairman and CEO of Zekelman Industries, on Wednesday’s Community Chat. As one of the largest independent steel pipe and tube manufacturers in North America, his company is also one of the largest steel buyers in the region. This year alone, the Chicago-based company will buy roughly 2.8 million tons of steel. As such, Zekelman provides a great perspective on the steel industry and the markets it serves.

As uncertainty swirls around Nippon Steel Corp.’s (NSC) proposed buy of U.S. Steel, the Japanese steelmaker continues to make assurances that it has the best interests in mind for running the iconic Pittsburgh-based steelmaker.