SMU’s Steel Buyers’ Sentiment Indices continue to show that steel buyers are optimistic about the success of their businesses, though that confidence has eased compared to earlier in the year.
The negative impact of high interest rates on consumer behavior, particularly in the automotive and housing sectors, was the primary driver of the demand weakness seen across the third quarter, according to Cleveland-Cliffs executives.
Earlier this week, SMU polled steel buyers on an array of topics, ranging from market prices, demand, and inventories to imports and evolving market events.
Swedish steelmaker SSAB said its weaker third-quarter financial performance was due to muted demand, planned maintenance outages, and the continued decline of US plate prices.
Domestic steel champion Barry Zekelman joined SMU to discuss the latest issues impacting the US steel market.
Prices, demand, inventories, evolving market events... What are buyers and sellers of steel talking about this week?
The World Steel Association (worldsteel) has made significant downward revisions to its Short Range Outlook for global steel demand.
Everybody has an opinion about politics these days. More importantly for our readers, though, every business has a bottom line. A popular question in our most recent steel buyers survey asked how uncertainty around the upcoming US presidential election could affect that line.
SMU’s Key Market Indicators include data on the economy, raw materials, manufacturing, construction, and steel sheet and long products. They offer a snapshot of current sentiment and the near-term expected trajectory of the economy.
The latest Federal Reserve data paints a healthy and stable manufacturing sector. Steel Market Update is pleased to share this Premium content with Executive members.
On Monday and Tuesday of this week, SMU polled steel buyers on an array of topics, ranging from market prices, demand, and inventories to imports and evolving market events.
Steel Market Update’s Steel Demand Index ticked back seven points last week, falling further into contraction territory.
SMU’s latest steel buyers market survey results are now available on our website to all premium members.
US manufacturing activity contracted for a fifth straight month in August, as reported in the latest release from the Institute for Supply Management (ISM). The Index has indicated contraction in the manufacturing sector for 21 of the last 22 months.
“It's been a very interesting year in that the price of scrap should have gone down earlier this year."
Flat-rolled steel prices have begun inflecting up on the back of mill prices hikes over the past couple of weeks. It’s a notable shift after tags slid downhill for most of the year. (There was a slight bump upward in late March/early April before the decreases resumed.) And now, after reaching levels not seen since […]
Earlier this week, SMU polled steel buyers on an array of topics, ranging from market prices, demand, and inventories to imports and evolving market events.
The wind energy sector continues to be a key feature of our forecasts for steel plate demand. As overall demand in China slows, it will assume a greater importance in shaping future global trends.
US manufacturing activity contracted for a fourth straight month in July, as reported in the latest release from the Institute for Supply Management (ISM). The Index has indicated contraction in the manufacturing sector for 20 of the last 21 months.
SMU’s sheet price was largely flat this week, an unusual sight for the better part of the past four months. The same trend was seen for tandem products and plate as well.
When we last talked to Jared Rowe in May, he had just been appointed Reibus International's new CEO and chairman of the board. Now two months into the job, SMU caught up with him on our July 24 Community Chat for the latest on the online metals marketplace.
Nucor has raised its consumer spot price (CSP) for hot-rolled (HR) coil to $675 per short ton (st), up $25/st from last week.
Nearly 1,200 people have registered for SMU Steel Summit, which is less than a month away now. That means we’re still on pace to meet or exceed last year’s record attendance despite a tough flat-rolled steel market over the last few months. So, a big thank you to everyone who already plans to go for your continued support. If you haven’t booked travel yet, don’t miss out on one of the greatest shows in steel – register here. (You can also check out the latest agenda here.)
GrafTech cited a “challenging” part of the business cycle as its net loss widened in the second quarter.
A roundup of aluminum news from CRU.
Drilling activity rose in both the US and Canada last week, according to the latest data release from Baker Hughes. US rig activity increased to a six-week high but remains near multi-year lows. Canadian counts continue to improve, now at a 20-week high.
Both iron ore and coking coal prices fell this week because of resistance from buyers. Iron ore prices have continued to fall throughout the past week, following sharp declines in steel prices in China, given no new policy announcement from the ‘Third Plenum’ meeting.
The prices for the July market weren’t settled until July 8 and now we are approaching the formation of the August market.
SMU has heard from some larger buyers who have stepped back into the market to buy at prices that, if not at a bottom, they assess to be close to one. Is it enough to stretch out lead times and send prices upward again? Or do we continue to scrape along the mid-$600s per short ton (st) as we have been doing for most of the last month?
Summer is here, and a familiar sentiment has hit the hot-rolled coil (HRC) futures market. Prices continue to decline in both the spot market and the futures market, with expectations of sub-$800 prices for the remainder of the year.