The Metals Service Center Institute is urging the Trump administration to take “swift, decisive action on the Section 232 steel investigation to bring certainty to the marketplace.” In a letter to President Trump last Thursday, MSCI President and CEO Robert Weidner, III, and Chairman R. Holman Head, stated that “problems posed by foreign government-sponsored capacity […]
The U.S. economy should finish 2017 strong, but the leading indicators point to a downturn in the second half of 2018 followed by a mild global recession in 2019, predicts economist Alan Beaulieu, principal of ITR Economics, who addressed a sellout crowd Aug. 30 at Steel Market Update’s Steel Summit Conference in Atlanta. “You will […]
The U.S. Commerce Department today announced an affirmative preliminary determination in the countervailing duty investigation on exports of metal tool chests and cabinets from China. Commerce calculated preliminary subsidy rates ranging from 17.32 percent to 32.07 percent. U.S. imports of tool chests and cabinets from China were valued at an estimated $989.9 million in 2016, […]
Apparent steel supply for the month of July totaled 9,570,118 net tons, according to the latest data from the U.S. Department of Commerce and the American Iron and Steel Institute. Apparent steel supply is calculated by adding domestic steel shipments and finished U.S. steel imports, then subtracting total U.S. steel exports. July apparent steel supply […]
U.S. steel exports in July totaled 806,512 net tons (731,656 metric tons), down 11.5 percent over June, but up 9.3 percent from July 2016. Total exports have declined over the last two months after reaching a 2.5-year high in May (1,006,087 tons). The total July export figure is below the three-month moving average (average of […]
We believe that misinformation, or a lack of information, about regional import volumes is often used to influence purchase decisions. Our intent with this analysis of sheet steel imports by district of entry and source through July 2017 is to describe in detail what is going on in a company’s immediate neighborhood and thus provide […]
Total rolled steel imports increased by 10.8 percent in the three months through August compared to the three months through May. Sheet product imports rose by 14.3 percent on the same basis, according to final license data for August reported by the U.S. Commerce Department on Aug. 6. The data is reported within the Steel […]
Global manufacturing rose to a 75-month high in August. The J.P. Morgan Global Manufacturing PMI climbed to 53.1 from 52.7 in July. Most components of the PMI increased in August and at a faster rate. Future output was the only measure to remain the same as July, at a strong 63.5. Developed nations on average led […]
The chaos to commerce continues in the Houston area as a result of flooding and damage from Hurricane Harvey. Texas Governor Gregg Abbot estimates damage to the area will be in the range of $150 billion to $180 billion. A quick survey of steel service centers and distribution centers in the area found that many […]
The market’s obsessive speculation over Section 232 and possible new tariffs on steel imports has caused many to miss the big story, said Timna Tanners, research analyst for Bank of America Merrill Lynch. “Stop worrying about what’s happening in Washington and pay more attention to what’s happening in China,” she told the sellout crowd at […]
Steel Market Update (SMU) received pricing information from China this morning along with a warning that China may be building a steel price bubble that will pop. The only question is when and how much damage will it do when it does. Traders are complaining that the new Chinese numbers are too high to be […]
Economic activity in the manufacturing sector expanded again in August as the Institute for Supply Management’s PMI registered 58.8 percent, an increase of 2.5 percentage points from July. This indicates growth in manufacturing for the 12th consecutive month and is the highest reading since April 2011, reports ISM. Any reading above 50 percent indicates expansion. […]
The Commerce Department has extended the deadline for determinations in the anti-circumvention investigation of corrosion-resistant steel from China to Feb. 15, 2018. On Nov. 14, 2016, the anti-circumvention case was initiated on CORE steel products from the People’s Republic of China in response to a request from steel companies ArcelorMittal USA, Nucor, U.S. Steel, AK […]
Good evening from Atlanta, site of our 7th SMU Steel Summit Conference. We announced this morning that attendance for this conference is a new record. We are pleased to announce we registered 661 manufacturing, steel and industry executives for this year’s conference, breaking last year’s 434 record. Our “Pre-Summit” Conference program on Monday attracted approximately […]
In June and July, China registered its highest share of global steel production ever, according to World Steel Association data with analysis by Steel Market Update. Global crude steel production in the month of July totaled 143,245,000 metric tons, up from 141,331,000 metric tons in June. Capacity utilization was 71.7 percent, down from 73.0 percent […]
This article is normally reserved for our Premium members, but we are sharing it with our entire readership this month. To learn more about what our Premium members receive, click here. Steel Market Update offers this update on the currencies of the steel and iron ore trading nations through Aug. 21. The analysis of currency […]
In the last month, the price of crude oil has risen and the price of natural gas has declined slightly. The number of operating rigs exploring for both oil and gas has declined for three straight weeks. This is the first decline since the low point of June 27 last year. The prices of oil […]
The Trump administration’s effort to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement and secure “a better deal for America” begins this week with talks between Canada, Mexico and the United States. The opening round will be in Washington on Aug. 16-20. The second round will take place in Mexico City around Sept. 10. Canada will […]
Editor’s note: As a special bonus, we are sharing this premium-level article with all our subscribers: Demand for sheet products is increasingly driven by hot rolled coil. Imports are taking a greater share of the sheet market, reaching 21.2 percent in June. Apparent supply is a proxy for market demand, and the apparent supply of […]
U.S. steel exports in June totaled 910,988 net tons (826,435 metric tons), down 9.5 percent over May, but up 12.3 percent from June 2016. Although down over last month, total June exports are in line with the average monthly level over the last few months. Back in May, total exports had climbed to 1,006,087 tons, […]
Editor’s note: As a special bonus, we are sharing this premium-level article with all our subscribers: We believe that misinformation (or lack of) about regional import volumes is often used to influence purchase decisions. Our intent with this analysis of tonnage by district of entry is to describe in detail what is going on in […]
NAFTA renegotiations are under way and automakers are concerned about changes to rules of origin for automobiles. Strengthening the rules could make U.S. auto and manufacturing sectors less competitive globally, warned speakers at a Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) event on Wednesday. Representatives of American and international automotive producers charged that stronger rules of […]
Ferrous scrap prices are up about $20 per ton across the board on strong domestic demand and scrap export markets “that are on fire,” say SMU’s scrap sources. One scrap metal processor with locations across the country reports HMS at $300, shred at $315 and busheling at $390 per gross ton for August delivery. Export […]
China domestic demand is driving a tandem rise in iron ore and steel pricing. Iron ore prices are at their highest level since April as Chinese steel producers gobble ore to take advantage of high margins and surging summer steel prices. Although China is ahead of its target for reducing steel capacity this year, Chinese […]
Responses to two questions in Steel Market Update’s latest flat roll market trends analysis elicited a clear consensus from our participants: The Trump administration’s delay in acting on Section 232 could open the door to more foreign steel imports. But the government should not necessarily penalize foreign countries just because they export a high rate […]
Total imports of rolled steel increased by 16.9 percent, and sheet products by 18.4 percent, in the three months through July, compared with the prior three months, according to final license data for July released by the U.S. Commerce Department on Aug. 1. The three-month moving average (3MMA) of the total volume of rolled product […]
In this report, updated July 28, we examine the latest prices for iron ore, scrap, coking coal and zinc. To put the raw materials analysis into perspective, we begin with Figure 1, which shows the spread between Chicago #1 busheling and hot rolled coil ex works Indiana through July 21, both in $/net ton. On […]
As a monthly average, prices on all flat rolled steel products recovered in July following a dip in June. The month of July ended with SMU’s Price Momentum Indicator continuing to point higher as the market waits to see if and when the Trump administration will act on Section 232 trade measures that could further […]
China cut crude steel capacity by 42.39 million metric tons in the first half of 2017–about 84 percent of its 50 million metric ton goal for the year–but steel production rose 4.6 percent to 419.75 million tons during the same period. Shutdowns to capacity do not include the removal of 100 million tons of illegal […]
The following is a press release on steel exports from the American Institute for International Steel (AIIS) on July 27 2017: Falls Church, VA. July 27, 2017. Steel exports swelled 17.3 percent from April to May – and were up 25.2 percent from a year earlier – to surpass 1 million net tons. More than […]