By Senior Analyst Ryan McKinley, from CRU’s Steelmaking Metallics Monitor The CRU metallics price indicator (CRUmpi) increased by 8.6% m/m in June to 402.4. This increase is primarily a reflection of large price increases for scrap in Europe and the U.S., although some increases occurred in Asia as well. After rising substantially in May, pig iron […]
By Greg Wittbecker, Advisor, CRU Analysis We have just refreshed our expectations on aluminum for 2021 in our latest of the CRU Aluminum Market Outlook. Here are some of the key takeaways: Demand Is Strong The World ex China is into its recovery from the the Covid-19 pandemic. We expect to see sharp year-on-year growth […]
By Greg Wittbecker, Advisor, CRU Analysis Ten years ago the aluminum can, and the aluminum sheet mills that supplied them, looked to be on borrowed time. Aluminum beverage can shipments, as reported by the Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI) had been flatlining for years. Can manufacturers were consolidating, with Ball and Ardagh acquiring Rexam assets in […]
By CRU Principal Aluminum Analyst Guillaume Osouf The LME aluminum price has been going through a period of consolidation since it reached its last significant peak at $2,603 /t on May 10. A similar situation was observed between December 2020 and February 2021 before the rally resumed even stronger. Can we expect the same to […]
By Greg Wittbecker, Advisor, CRU Analysis On June 28, the Russian government announced the imposition of a 15% tax on aluminum exports. The tax is effective for the period August through December 2021 and covers most primary aluminum exports. This appears to be a case of the Russian government making an opportunistic “raid” on one […]
By Greg Wittbecker, Advisor, CRU Analysis The COVID-19 pandemic’s effects on overall aluminum demand in 2020 was well documented. However, that storyline masked a remarkable rebound in the demand for aluminum beverage cans. Data from the Aluminum Association shows this: • 2020 total domestic shipments of can stock supplied to the can market rose 3.3% […]
By CRU Senior Analyst Ryan McKinley, from CRU’s Steel Sheet Products Monitor Sheet prices in northern Europe, like in other areas of the world, have begun to decline – although prices in the USA have yet to follow this trend. Still, it appears that this upward trend in the U.S. market is nearing an end. […]
By CRU Senior Analyst Richard Lu, from CRU’s Steel Sheet Products Monitor In September 2020, President Xi Jinping formally announced that China will aim to achieve a peak in carbon emissions before 2030, followed by carbon neutrality before 2060. As part of the decarbonization efforts, the Chinese government at the start of the year announced […]
By CRU Principal Economist Alex Tuckett and Chief Economist Jumana Saleheen In this mid-year update to our global economic outlook, we look back at our expectations at the beginning of the year, and those of our surveyed clients, and compare them with actual outcomes over the past six months. Overall, the global economy is in vastly better shape […]
I thought it would be an interesting exercise to take a look at benchmark hot rolled pricing over the past 12 months. I thought I would compare the numbers on a month-over-month basis to give everyone an idea of how steep the price increases have been. At the same time, we can think about the […]
I thought it would be an interesting exercise to take a look at benchmark hot rolled pricing over the past 12 months. I thought I would compare the numbers on a month-over-month basis to give everyone an idea of how steep the price increases have been. At the same time, we can think about the […]
Infrastructure, Energy, Wind Farms, Tanners, Summit Conference, Imports. If you are watching the news, you are aware of the Biden administration’s push for a large (at least $1 trillion) infrastructure bill. There is a lot of discussion about what infrastructure entails in light of the current economy. It’s not your father’s economy. There is need […]
U.S. ferrous scrap prices have settled up $60 per gross ton on prime grades and up $50 per gross ton on obsoletes, according to market participants. “Regional markets were very consistent with the up $50 (per gross ton) on obsolete grades and up $60 (per gross ton) for primes,” one scrap executive said. “This resulted […]
I want to thank the National Association of Steel Pipe Distributors for giving me a chance to open their summer conference in Denver last week. I spoke about – what else, these days – steel prices. During the Q&A afterward and on the sidelines of the event, it was clear people were worried about (a) […]
I want to thank the National Association of Steel Pipe Distributors for giving me a chance to open their summer conference in Denver last week. I spoke about – what else, these days – steel prices. During the Q&A afterward and on the sidelines of the event, it was clear people were worried about (a) […]
The 2021 SMU Steel Summit Conference will be the first major steel conference to be held in person since the pandemic shut down all events across the world. Our conference will begin at 9 a.m. ET with our Pre-Summit Programs on Monday, Aug. 23. The official opening of the conference will be at 1 p.m. ET […]
Foreign steel imports from two of the three regions tracked by Steel Market Update are losing their price advantage over domestic steel, according to our latest foreign versus domestic hot rolled steel price comparison. The price differentials between domestic HRC compared to foreign imports had surged through February and March to reach record highs in […]
The U.S. steel industry stands to benefit in a big way should the government put a price on carbon emissions, according to a study by CRU, Steel Market Update’s parent company. CRU examined the potential impact of a standard fee on carbon emissions and an equivalent border carbon adjustment (BCA) and found that such policies could […]
Ferrous scrap prices in the U.S. are likely to see a big jump in June, estimated at $50-60 per gross ton or more, primarily as a result of strong demand from foreign buyers, sources tell Steel Market Update. “June will bring significant price increases for ferrous scrap. The biggest factor is the strength of the […]
U.S. Steel’s mill in Košice, Slovakia, must swap out its blast furnaces for electric-arc furnaces (EAFs) to survive in a decarbonizing world, a government official said. The problem: Doing so doesn’t come cheap. The change would cost approximately €1.5 billion ($1.8 billion), Slovakian Finance Minister Igor Matovič said per reports in local media. “If we want […]
Ah, remember the good old days… In this month’s galvanized steel conference call with HARDI wholesalers, one of the manufacturing companies discussed the frustrations of buying foreign steel, issues with late deliveries and then difficulties moving the steel from the port to his manufacturing facilities. Traders expressed frustrations related to freight issues (ship and truck). […]
Ah, remember the good old days… In this month’s galvanized steel conference call with HARDI wholesalers, one of the manufacturing companies discussed the frustrations of buying foreign steel, issues with late deliveries and then difficulties moving the steel from the port to his manufacturing facilities. Traders expressed frustrations related to freight issues (ship and truck). […]
Some foreign steel imports are slowly losing their price advantage over domestic steel, according to Steel Market Update’s latest foreign versus domestic hot rolled steel price comparison. The price differentials between domestic HRC compared to foreign imports had surged through February and March to reach record highs in favor of foreign producers. Those spreads have […]
Time for Good News… It is time for optimism as the pandemic begins to fade in the USA, reported a Washington Post article posted at 2:18 p.m. this afternoon. Today, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) stated that fully vaccinated Americans no longer need to wear masks indoors or outdoors. “Americans who are fully vaccinated […]
2021 SMU Steel Summit Conference Revised Agenda as of May 9, 2021 The 2021 SMU Steel Summit Conference will be held at the Georgia International Convention Center on Aug. 23-25. The convention center is conveniently located next to the Atlanta International Airport (ATL). The center and the hotels surrounding it are at the first stop […]
2021 SMU Steel Summit Conference Revised Agenda as of May 9, 2021 The 2021 SMU Steel Summit Conference will be held at the Georgia International Convention Center on Aug. 23-25. The convention center is conveniently located next to the Atlanta International Airport (ATL). The center and the hotels surrounding it are at the first stop […]
Join us for CRU’s Annual New York Steel Seminar featuring the outlook for steel and key considerations for navigating price volatility alongside the low carbon transition. Date: Wednesday, June 16, 2021 Time: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. EDT Despite the pandemic’s impact now easing on the steel industry, domestic and global steel markets continue to face […]
Join us for CRU’s Annual New York Steel Seminar featuring the outlook for steel and key considerations for navigating price volatility alongside the low carbon transition. Date: Wednesday, June 16, 2021 Time: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. EDT Despite the pandemic’s impact now easing on the steel industry, domestic and global steel markets continue to face uncertainty […]
Join us for CRU’s Annual New York Steel Seminar featuring the outlook for steel and key considerations for navigating price volatility alongside the low carbon transition. Date: Wednesday, June 16, 2021 Time: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. EDT Despite the pandemic’s impact now easing on the steel industry, domestic and global steel markets continue to face uncertainty […]
Join us for CRU’s Annual New York Steel Seminar featuring the outlook for steel and key considerations for navigating price volatility alongside the low carbon transition. Date: Wednesday, June 16, 2021 Time: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. EDT Despite the pandemic’s impact now easing on the steel industry, domestic and global steel markets continue to face uncertainty […]