Tag: demand

Participants in the plate market doubt prices, lead times, and demand forces will cool down any time soon.

Market participants report frustration with extending lead times for domestically produced plate products.  

AMU's May aluminum market survey showed lengthier rolled product lead times coupled with shrinking extrusion and primary booking windows, though inventory building and forward demand sentiment remained cautious.

Earlier this week, SMU polled steel buyers on an array of topics, ranging from market prices, demand, and inventories to tariffs, imports, and evolving market events.

Galvanized steel buyers and distributors expect tightening supply and rising price pressure to last into summer.

SMU’s latest steel buyers market survey results are now available on our website to all premium members.

Plate market participants wonder how plate supply will hold up in coming weeks and months, sources told SMU.   Some sources called out dwindling availability of heavier grades and said certain domestic producers have “a huge backlog.” of all grades.

Sheet market participants found modest spot price increases this past week, but conceded that overall market conditions remained stable.  

Ternium expects steel demand in Mexico to keep improving through the second quarter as destocking fades and new industrial policies take hold.

SMU’s Mill Order Index (MOI) recovered in March, gaining some momentum after a marginal decline in February.

I haven’t done a deep dive into our sentiment data for a little while. And it’s timely to do so now. Why? Because we’re seeing what I’ll call the inverted yield curve of steel buyers’ sentiment.

SMU’s latest steel buyers market survey results are now available on our website to all premium members.

Steel buyers remain highly optimistic about their businesses’ chances of success today and in the near future, according to SMU’s Steel Buyers’ Sentiment Indices.

Market sources say 2026 could be a stronger year for plate market participants than 2025 if this week’s conditions are indicative of how the rest of the year plays out.  

Last week, Steel Market Update and CRU hosted our inaugural VIP Briefing in Chicago ahead of the Scouting America Metals Industry Dinner.

Nucor executives said US steel demand remains stable, with pockets of strength in data centers, energy, border fence work, and infrastructure.

Recent conversations with plate market participants across the US revealed a wide range of experiences contingent on a variety of factors.  

Sheet market participants reported steady to elevated demand over the past week. But while spot prices continued to edge up, some sources said lead times were becoming more closely aligned to industry norms.

According to the latest findings from SMU’s survey, more respondents answered that President Trump’s tariff policies have been helpful to their businesses than in the prior survey. 

Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. reported improving supply-demand fundamentals in the first quarter and expects stronger conditions through the rest of 2026.

Factors like fluctuating demand, import availability, domestic product lead times, fuel surcharges, and end-user consumption left plate sources feeling unsettled.  

Participants in the hot- and cold-rolled coils market are optimistic about the market's health.

MU’s latest steel buyers market survey results are now available on our website to all premium members.

Participants in the galvanized steel market remain encouraged by strengthening product prices, even as increases unfold at a subdued pace.  

Global steel demand is stabilizing and poised for a gradual recovery through 2027, with North America expected to post solid, policy-supported gains, according to the World Steel Association’s latest Short Range Outlook.

SMU’s March ferrous scrap market survey results are now available on our website to all premium members.

SMU’s latest steel buyers market survey results are now available on our website to all premium members.

Most steel buyers see prices continuing to inch higher on stable or improving demand. But some are concerned higher energy prices stemming for the Iran war could dent the overall economy.

North American auto assemblies gained ground in February, up more than 8% vs. January, but still down more than 4% year on year (y/y), according to GlobalData.

SMU’s Mill Order Index (MOI) eased in February. The result came as a marginal increase in service center intake levels was offset by higher shipments, according to our latest service center inventories data.