New residential sales of single-family homes dropped in February to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 440,000 according to estimates by the Commerce Department. Sales were 3.3 percent below the revised January rate of 455,000 and 1.1 percent below the February 2013 estimate of 445,000. Inventory was still tight at 189,000, a 5.2 month supply. […]
An explanation of the Key Indicators concept is given at the end of this piece for those readers who are unfamiliar with it. The total number of indicators considered at present is thirty five, a decrease of one as the Chicago Fed Mid-West Manufacturing Index has been put on hold until late April to enable […]
From time to time Steel Market Update uses words or phrases within articles which sometimes will set off your SPAM filters. You may notice that I never use the “M” word. The word used to describe a home loan. It is one of the words that SPAM filters love to hate. Another word is survey […]
Even as other companies were issuing lower guidance due to weather and its impact on negatively impacting their earnings during the first three months 2014, Worthington Industries reported their fiscal year 2014 3rd Quarter results which ended on February 28, 2014 as being the best in the company’s history. The company reported earnings of $40.6 […]
Imports of foreign steel increased during the month of February compared to the prior month. Steel Market Update carefully monitors total steel imports, slab imports, hot rolled, cold rolled, galvanized and Galvalume imports as well as plate (coiled and sheet) and oil country tubular goods (OCTG). The U.S. Government recently released preliminary census data for […]
We are beginning to see a new push away from a fragmented steel mill supply base as closures of capacity coupled with the recent acquisition of ThyssenKrupp Steel USA by ArcelorMittal/Nippon Steel Sumitomo Metals Corporation (AM/NS Calvert) are reducing the number of players and the tons in the game. Over the past two years we […]
The following article was written by contributing writer David Phelps. Mr. Phelps is recently retired from his duties as the Director of the American Institute for International Steel. In that capacity he had occasion to interact with the domestic steel mills. The following article contains the viewpoint of Mr. Phelps regarding Big River Steel and […]
Spot iron ore prices in China have been in a state of fluctuation having come down from $122.60/dmt at the beginning of the year to the current level of $111.80/dmt on 62% Fe. The economic slow down in China and the over abundance of ore inventories in China coupled with banks cracking down on iron […]
When I last wrote my final thoughts, I had just discovered that my passport had expired ten days earlier and I was scheduled to speak to the Toronto Steel Buyers & Associates dinner in Canada the following day. My efforts to have the passport renewed in Atlanta were rebuffed and I was down to my […]
Big River Steel is cleared to begin construction. Mississippi County Judge Charles Moulton ruled in favor of the John Correnti led Big River Steel in an air quality permit lawsuit filed by rival steel-maker Nucor Corp. An air permit was provisionally granted on Sept 18, 2013 but subsequently challenged by Nucor on the basis that […]
SMU’s John Temples attended the Platts Steel Market’s North America Conference this week. Panelist focused on market forecast, natural gas, service center operations, and a healthy dose of business promotion. One discussion of interest was on the recovery and outlook of the construction sector. Throughout the conference, many people were optimistic about the non-residential construction […]
New Star Metals has acquired Material Sciences Corporation (MSC) a provider of acoustical products used in brakes, body panels, and engine components. MSC also specializes in electro-galvanizing and coil coating of flat-rolled steel and aluminum and provides products and services to the automotive, construction, appliance, and lighting industries. “We are excited to complete the purchase […]
The possibility for steel prices to have, at the very least, bottomed and improving weather conditions across the United States and Canada have sparked an improvement in our Steel Market Update (SMU) Steel Buyers Sentiment Index. The index, which has been monitoring buyers and sellers of flat rolled steel since 2008, was reported earlier today […]
Demand for architectural design services inched up in February registering 50.7 on the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Architecture Billings Index, up just slightly from 50.4 in January. The new projects inquiry index fell to 56.8 from 58.5 the previous month. Increase in design activity for multi-family residential and commercial nudged growth in February. “The […]
In February total building permits exceeded total starts by 38,000 units which would seem at first glance to be a good sign. However digging down into the data reveals a much more complex situation in this market. The two sub sectors, single and multi-family units are behaving differently. Single family permits were 12,000 less than […]
Both these data points are reported in the Federal Reserve G17 data base. The Industrial Production (IP) index was reported as 101.63 for February, this was the fourth consecutive month for the index to exceed the pre-recession peak of September 2007. The three month moving average, (3MMA) of the index expanded by 0.62 month on […]
Total service center carbon steel shipments in February declined by 225,000 tons but this was because shipping days declined by two to twenty. Tons per day (t / d) shipments rose from 158,500 tons in January to 161,600 in February. Intake was 162,820 t / d leading to a monthly surplus of 24,400 tons and […]
HARDI steel conference call members were of the opinion it is too early to tell if the just announced price increases will stick. Steel Market Update (SMU) participated in the monthly HARDI galvanized steel conference call this morning. The wholesalers, service centers and manufacturing companies on the call felt the price announcements were “good” for […]
Nucor says weather and imports affected steel sales for first quarter 2014. Nucor revised its forecast for first quarter results downward from its guidance in fourth quarter 2013. Nucor expects a $0.53 decrease per diluted share in the first quarter ending April 5, 2014 as compared to fourth quarter 2013 earnings. Results are expected to […]
ArcelorMittal USA is building bridges, or at least starring in a supporting role. All three of the ArcelorMittal USA mills—Burns Harbor, Coatesville and Conshohocke—are supplying high performance plate steel to replace the Tappan Zee Bridge in New York. The project is one the largest contracts in New York history and the largest transportation infrastructure project […]
Each month the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) puts out its series of producer price indexes for thousands of goods and materials. The latest release on Friday reported February results. These statistics are a useful way to evaluate any changes in the competitive position of steel against competing materials. See below for the official description […]
Steel Market Update has been aware for awhile that at least one, and probably more than one, domestic steel mill has been trying to convince the rest of the industry to support dumping suits on coated products. This would most likely include galvanized and Galvalume steels. The countries being mentioned include China, India, Taiwan and […]
The rumor mill has been buzzing for a number of months about the potential for flat rolled steel dumping suits on galvanized and Galvalume steels. The focus of attention seems to be on China, India, Taiwan and South Korea as being the major offenders. However, Steel Market Update, which has a long background in coated […]
Key Banc recently published its report entitled “The Industrial Cycle: Monthly Update on Key End Markets.” The following is a summary of findings from report that SMU readers may find interesting. Key Banc says the outlook for industrial activity remains positive for 2014. After a dismal performance in January affected by weather conditions, activity rebounded […]
Fulton County Processing (FCP), a joint venture with Heidtman Steel, is expanding its pickling capacity at its facility in Delta, Ohio. The $20 million project will add a new 4 tank Butech Bliss/Nelson push/pull pickling line and is scheduled for completion in fourth quarter 2014. The steel processing expansion will add 82,000 square feet and […]
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) report on non-farm employment beat the consensus expectation of a 150,000 gain in February by showing a net gain of 175,000 jobs. The three month moving average (3MMA) of the net gain has slowed for three consecutive months but the growth trajectory is still on track for a full […]
Buyers and sellers of flat rolled steel continue to be optimistic regarding business prospects both in the current market environment as well as looking out 3 to 6 months into the future. Even so, our index was 2 points lower than the +39 measured during the middle of February and at +37 is the lowest […]
Iron ore spot prices in China plummeted for the third week. During the past three weeks 62% Fe fines dropped by 6 percent and 58% Fe by 5 percent, according to data compiled by The Steel Index (TSI). Since the beginning of the year iron ore has fallen by 12 percent and is at the […]
Canadian building permit value rose 8.5 percent in January to $7.0 billion after falling 4.8 percent in December. Higher building intentions in the residential sector more than offset building declines in the non-residential sector. Building permits for residential construction increased to 18,366 units in January from 15,650 in December 2013. Single family dwellings permit authorization […]
Construction spending in January rose 9.3 percent year-over-year to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $943 billion, according to data released by the US Census Bureau. Construction spending was 0.1 percent higher than the revised SAAR of $941.9 billion in December 2013. Private construction spending rose 0.5 percent to a SAAR of $670.8 billion from […]