Service Center Inventories
SMU surveys key data providers each month to gather the latest information on steel sheet and plate inventories.
An array of proprietary products
Explore our proprietary steel market insights. Key features include service center inventories, flat rolled lead times, steel buyers’ sentiment indices, mill negotiation rates, and more. Access everything you need to track market momentum and make informed decisions
Survey derived insights
Access SMU’s proprietary mill lead times, negotiation rates, steel buyers’ sentiment indices, and more. The data comes from SMU’s surveys, which have been helping our subscribers keep their finger on the pulse of the steel market for more than a decade
Service center inventory and shipment data
Stay on top of the sheet and plate markets with SMU’s monthly service center shipment and inventory reports. When you know how you stack up against your peers, you can better manage your own stocks
Flat-Rolled Lead Times
Active steel buyers provide sheet and plate mill lead times. Members can track pricing trends and explore historical data.
Steel Buyers’ Sentiment
Track how steel buyers and sellers feel about their company’s prospects today and in the next 3-6 months.
Mill Spot Price Negotiations
We survey active steel buyers on pricing plans for domestic sheet and plate; results reveal shifting spot trends.
Overall Demand
Track steel demand across the supply chain and whether buyers report it as improving, steady, or declining.
Key Market Indicators
Explore combined economic and industry metrics that summarize essential data and price indices relevant to the steel market.
Latest news
Heidtman, Steel and Pipe Supply open JV in Granite City
Heidtman Steel Products Inc. and Steel and Pipe Supply Co. have announced a joint venture called Granite City Processing LLC in Granite City, Ill., that commenced on Jan. 1.
HRC vs. prime spread widens further in January
The price spread between domestic hot-rolled coil and prime scrap widened for a fourth consecutive month in January, based on SMU’s most recent pricing data.
HARDI: Slow grind higher fuels growing bullishness in galvanized mart
The galvanized steel market has kicked off the year with a firmer tone, marked by rising prices, lengthening lead times, and a noticeable shift in buyer sentiment. Service centers and distributors on HARDI’s latest sheet metal and coil handling council call described a market that is not overheating but steadily tightening.
Final Thoughts: Venezuela in a different era
Reflections on visiting Venezuela in a different era.
SMU price ranges: Modest sheet increases, plate jumps
The majority of SMU’s sheet and plate price indices rose this week, with multiple products climbing to new multi-month highs
US ferrous scrap prices rise across board in January
Ferrous scrap prices jumped on all the products SMU tracks in January, scrap sources said.
Steel imports remain muted through December
According to recently released final US Commerce Department data, US steel imports rebounded 11% month on month (m/m) in October 2025 after falling to a multi-year low one month earlier. The latest license figures suggest imports eased back by 3% in November and by another 2% in December, with trade again nearing historical lows.
Join SMU on Jan. 21 for a Community Chat with CSN’s Jerry Richardson
CSN LLC General Director Jerry Richardson will join Steel Market Update (SMU) for a Community Chat on Weds., Jan. 21, at 11 am ET.
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AMU brings expert perspectives, proprietary data, and news analysis to businesses across the aluminum and nonferrous scrap markets
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