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.
Mill Order Index
Monitor service center purchasing with our inventory-based insight into demand momentum and lead-time trends.
Steel Demand Index
Derived from the market surveys SMU conducts every other week, the Steel Demand Index is a diffusion index and a statistical tool to measure the breadth of change across our overall demand data series. It effectively helps identify widespread demand trends or turning points. An index score above 50 indicates components are increasing more than […]
Latest news
SMU Survey: Steel Buyer Sentiment Indices remain strongly optimistic
SMU’s Steel Buyers’ Sentiment Indices have been historically strong for several months, indicating that buyers are confident in their companies’ prospects today and in the coming months.
Steel import licenses rebound in July after June decline
Licenses to import steel into the US surged in July to the highest level since June 2025, according to recently released US Commerce Department data. Final June figures show a 3.8% month-on-month decline, while July licenses show a 9% recovery.
That’s a wrap! A look back at the August scrap settlement
After a brief delay in regional scrap buying, things are now virtually complete. There was some suspense during the middle of the week that a surprise in scrap prices from the larger mills was in store. Ultimately, however, nothing very dramatic happened.
AMU: Daimler closure, International sale reshape truck manufacturing
The announcements affect two established US commercial vehicle production sites.
US rig count holds at multi-month high, Canada’s slips
Baker Hughes’ latest data shows US oil and gas drilling activity was steady this week at a multi-year high, while activity slowed slightly in Canada.
HR sources stress a spot(less) market
Recent conversations with some hot-rolled coil spot market participants revealed spiking stress levels amidst a tightening supply of the steel sheet product.
USW bargaining committee prepares for capex talks with Cliffs
Cleveland-Cliffs (Cliffs) and the United Steelworkers (USW) labor union plan to discuss capital expenditures (capex) as part of their ongoing master contract negotiations.
Great Lakes ore shipments flat in July
The US-flag Lake Carriers Association reported steady iron ore trade on the Great Lakes in July.
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