Tag: demand

Plate market participants expect domestic producers to issue a $40-60 per short ton (st) price increase.

US rebar and wire rod prices rose month on month (m/m) alongside continued scrap increases, while merchant bar and structurals were unchanged.

Sheet market participants said conditions this week were more stable than in past weeks, but they remain cautiously optimistic overall.   

Participants in the hot- and cold-rolled coil markets said winter storms in the East and Midwest may disrupt weekly order volumes and prices.  

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

A report on the sheet market this week.

SMU’s Steel Buyers’ Sentiment Indices both increased this week to multi-month highs

Rising global capital and power costs, driven by China's production cap and higher-cost expansion in Indonesia, are resetting aluminum's incentive price, making higher LME levels necessary to unlock new primary capacity outside China.

Though they’re hopeful, domestic sheet market sources didn’t share a bullish outlook on the market this week.

Participants in the domestic steel plate market said they are maintaining strong order books, experiencing longer lead times, and finding mills are less open to negotiating prices.

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.

Steel plate market participants think increasing spot prices and growing order volumes could stick around. That’s two encouraging signs for the year ahead, they said. Oregon Steel Mills, SSAB, and Nucor all increased base prices for plate products by $40 per short ton (st) in the final weeks of December. SMU data also indicates that mills […]

AZZ Inc. posted record sales in its fiscal third quarter, driven by strong hot-dip galvanizing and coil coating demand tied to infrastructure, energy transition, and data center construction.

Demand for heavy steel plate used in offshore wind farms faces renewed uncertainty after President Trump paused leases for five offshore wind projects. 

The number of oil and gas rigs operating in the US ticked higher this week, while Canadian activity tumbled, according to the latest data released from Baker Hughes.

An SMU Community Chat with Timna Tanners.

In this Premium analysis we examine North American oil and natural gas prices, drill rig activity, and crude oil stock levels through December

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.

Economic activity across the US was largely static with some modest activity unfolding at a sluggish pace, according to the US Federal Reserve’s (The Fed) latest Beige Book report.

The SMU Steel Demand Index slackened from late October, remaining below expansion territory, according to SMU's mid-November indicators.

SMU’s Mill Order Index (MOI) surged in October after a notable decline the month prior. The recovery came as service center on order inventory totals picked up, supported by a slight uptick in shipments, according to our latest service center inventories data.

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.

With infrastructure demand shifting toward digital capacity, Nucor Corp. is positioning itself as the go-to steel supplier for the data center boom.

SMU’s Steel Demand Index remains in contraction, according to late October indicators. Though growth faded at a slower pace, it rebounded from one of the lowest readings year-to-date from earlier in the month.

SMU’s Mill Order Index declined in September after repeated gains from June through August. The shift came as service center shipping rates and inventories fell.

Nucor entered the fourth quarter with clear forward momentum: stronger-than-expected results, solid sheet and plate demand, and construction progress on a major new mill that should add capacity next year.

US automakers could face production shutdowns in November because of potential supply disruptions at Dutch chipmaker Nexperia. Even a temporary shutdown, as carmakers scramble to procure chips, threatens to drive steel demand lower. Alliance for Automotive Innovation CEO John Bozzella underscored the severity of the situation. “If the shipment of automotive chips doesn’t resume — […]

Baker Hughes reported higher oil and gas drilling activity this week in both the US and Canada.

What's on steel buyers' minds this week? We asked about market prices, demand, inventories, tariffs, imports, and other evolving market trends. Read on for buyers' comments in their own words...

It's can-kicking at its finest. And it’s been drawn out! Some are getting so good at it, they’re kicking cans and taking names.