While other measures of economic recovery still lag their pre-pandemic levels, that is not the case with the sentiment among steel buyers. Attitudes among buyers are already more positive than they were before COVID struck last year, and optimism levels are nearly the highest ever recorded in the 13 years that Steel Market Update has […]
Ternium has strong confidence in the growth potential for the Mexican steel industry. Despite a poor performance by the government in helping the economy recover from the impact of the pandemic, CEO Maximo Vedoya expects the industrial base will continue to grow. One of the drivers will be reshoring of the supply base, which will […]
Hot rolled steel prices have been on the rise since last August and hit a new record of $1,440 per ton this week as nine-week lead times have tightened supplies and made spot tons scarce. Can steel prices possibly continue rising for the rest of the year? Chris Shipp is convinced steel prices have a […]
Sometimes it seems like the faster I move the further behind I get…. I think steel buyers are beginning to realize they have precious little control over this market, and they are just along for the ride. As I reviewed the results of this week’s flat rolled and plate steel market trends analysis (our steel […]
Final Census data shows that finished steel imports rose 23% in March to 1.78 million tons, as more U.S. buyers sought relief from climbing domestic prices and limited supplies. This is the highest finished-steel import level seen since August 2019 when finished imports were 1.80 million tons. Total steel imports were 2.29 million tons in […]
Ternium remains on track to start up its new hot strip mill in Pesquería, outside of Monterrey, Mexico, on time, according to industry sources. The Latin American steelmaker has indicated that it expects to start up by early June and has already filled its June and July order books, market participants said. Ternium did not […]
NLMK USA shipments rose to 430,000 metric tons in the first quarter of 2021, a 10% gain from the fourth quarter of 2020. Strong demand for hot rolled and hot-dipped galvanized coil by key customers benefited sales as did the end of the strike at NLMK Pennsylvania. Revenue jumped 63% quarter over quarter to $403 […]
My first job in the steel industry started in July 1977. I have been involved with the industry ever since. I’m coming up on 44 years in a few months. That either makes me old or wise…well, old anyway. What I can tell you is during those 44 years I have never seen a market […]
The headline price for hot rolled steel crested $1,400 per ton this week, according to Steel Market Update’s latest check of the market, surpassing a mark that few buyers ever expected to see in their careers. SMU pegs the current average hot rolled price at $1,410 per ton, but sources report offers as high as […]
Steel Dynamics Inc. had a stellar first quarter and looks forward to its new Sinton, Texas, mill beginning production later this summer. The $1.9 billion EAF mill is designed with production capabilities that will compete with traditional integrated steel producers, providing a differentiated product portfolio with a climate-conscious focus, SDI said. Four customers have committed […]
Steel Dynamics Inc. (SDI) posted record first-quarter sales and expects the good times to keep rolling into the second quarter. The solid showing came thanks to high steel prices, lean customer inventories and strong demand across most end markets, according to commentary released with first-quarter earnings data. “Numerous individual operating and financial records were attained–a […]
The Steel Manufacturers Association applauds the Congressional Steel Caucus for their bi-partisan support of Buy America policies to fix America’s infrastructure. Said SMA President Philip Bell, “Yesterday, a bipartisan group of over 50 members of Congress affirmed that Buy America procurement policies that promote using steel made in America by Americans is a trade-compliant approach […]
Steel Dynamics Inc. announced today a major investment to establish four new coating lines—two in the South and two in the Midwest. The $225 million investment in the southern location will support the new Sinton, Texas, steel mill, which is on track for first production in late summer 2021. A 300,000-ton flat-roll galvanizing line with […]
February apparent steel supply slipped 500,000 tons or 6.3% from the 10-month high seen in January, now at 7.51 million net tons, according to the latest U.S. Department of Commerce and American Iron and Steel Institute data. Although down from the month prior, February supply is at the third highest level seen in the last […]
Flat Rolled = 41.4 Shipping Days of Supply Plate = 43 Shipping Days of Supply Flat Rolled U.S. service center flat rolled inventories remained very lean in March, as shipments were strong, but mills continued to run late on deliveries. At the end of March, U.S. service centers had 41.4 shipping days of supply of […]
Mill shipments of steel products fell 9.8% month on month in February, while apparent supply was down by 12.5% during the same period. This is the first noticeable decrease in both apparent supply and shipments of steel since the market reached bottom back in May 2020. Mill shipments were down by 13.1% year on year, […]
This report examines the import share of sheet and plate products. Imports’ share of total sheet product shipments was 14.0% in February, up from 9.7% in January. The increase corresponds to a simultaneous decrease in domestic shipments and a rise in imports. Domestics shipments in February totaled 3.84 million tons, the lowest mark since this […]
This report examines the import share of tubular and long products shipments. Imports’ share of total tubular products rose to 44.6% in February, up from 42.5% the month prior, but primarily due to a 9.7% decrease in domestic tubular shipments overall. Tubular imports decreased for the third consecutive month in February. Long products import market […]
The U.S. trucking industry is straining to keep up with demand as imports and retail shipping vie with construction and manufacturing for limited truck capacity. Imports fell as the coronavirus took hold last March, but surged to 2.1 million TEU (20-foot equivalent units) in August 2020 as global economies reopened. The August record was subsequently […]
The U.S. trucking industry is straining to keep up with demand as imports and retail shipping vie with construction and manufacturing for limited truck capacity. Imports fell as the coronavirus took hold last March, but surged to 2.1 million TEU (20-foot equivalent units) in August 2020 as global economies reopened. The August record was subsequently […]
Final Census data shows that finished steel imports rose 15% in February to 1.45 million tons, as more U.S. buyers sought relief from climbing domestic prices and limited supply. This is the highest finished-steel import level seen since May 2020. Total steel imports were 1.90 million tons in February, down 22% month-over-month, due to January’s […]
Zekelman Industries has completed the exterior construction of its new rolling mill in Blytheville, Ark. The 515,000-square-foot facility, located next to Zekelman’s Atlas Tube, will be the largest continuous electric resistance welding (ERW) mill in the world and is expected to be operational by September 2021. The mill will be able to roll HSS from […]
Schnitzer Steel tripled its net income from first to second quarter FY 2021 to $46 million, supported by robust revenues of $600 million. Strong demand for recycled metals, higher finished steel prices and elevated scrap pricing resulted in expanded metal spreads and operating margins. Net income per ferrous ton increased to $47 from $14 per […]
Foreign steel imports are building, according to the latest license data from the U.S. government. Total licenses were 2.7 million net tons for March. This is well above the 1.984 million net ton average over the last two years. It is also equal to or above the first month of the quarter tonnage, which is […]
Looking for a Top… Looking for Steel…. As we conduct our analysis of the flat rolled and plate steel prices this week, we cannot help but notice the pace of increases has slowed…or is the slowing due to many mill order books being closed and having nothing new to offer. The availability of spot tonnage […]
Looking for a Top… Looking for Steel…. As we conduct our analysis of the flat rolled and plate steel prices this week, we cannot help but notice the pace of increases has slowed…or is the slowing due to many mill order books being closed and having nothing new to offer. The availability of spot tonnage […]
For the seventh consecutive month, steel prices rose throughout March, fueled by a continuation of strong demand and limited supply. Hot rolled steel prices averaged $1,300 per ton by the middle of the month, far exceeding any historical price record, and reached $1,330 by the last week of March. The SMU Price Momentum Indicator has […]
Former President Donald Trump overstepped his powers when he extended Section 232 tariffs to downstream products such as steel nails, a trade court ruled. The U.S. Court of International Trade made the decision on Monday, April 5, in favor of the plaintiff in the case, PrimeSource Building Products Inc., and against the defendant, the United […]
The temptation to purchase foreign hot rolled over domestic steel remains high, as more U.S. buyers place orders for foreign material despite long lead times for delivery. Since mid-March, foreign steel prices have begun to increase at a greater rate compared to domestic prices, yet foreign prices still hold potential discounts of 10-24%, according to […]
Ford is taking extensive downtime at several U.S. assembly plants and its only Canadian facility because of continued parts shortages stemming from a global semiconductor supply squeeze. The automaker’s Dearborn, Mich., truck plant, which makes the popular F-150 pickup truck, will be down the weeks of April 5 and April 12, a company spokeswoman said. […]