Tag: Lead Times

Steel Market Update’s Steel Demand Index remains in contraction territory despite marginal improvement, according to our latest survey data.

he latest SMU Market Survey results are now available on our website to all Premium members.

SMU Managing Editor Michael Cowden shares his Final Thoughts for the week on what happens to steel if the United Auto Workers (UAW) launch a series of “stand up” strikes at midnight tonight against Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis?

Steel mill lead times were basically flat again this week compared to our previous market check, with production times shrinking slightly for hot rolled and cold rolled, and extending for galvanized, Galvalume, and plate.

US hot-rolled coil (HRC) continues to lose ground against imported hot band. Domestic product remains a better deal than offshore HRC as US tags sink further, according to SMU’s latest foreign vs. domestic price analysis.

Sheet prices fell across the board ahead of what many market participants predict will be a strike by the United Auto Workers (UAW) later this week.

Steel prices kept falling throughout last month. Hot-rolled coil (HRC) prices ended August at $725 per ton ($36.25 per cwt) on average, having fallen by $105 per ton during the month.

The more of you I talk to, the more the question seems to be not whether the United Auto Workers (UAW) will strike later this week but instead for how long. You’re also asking whether the UAW will target one union-represented automaker or whether it might take the unprecedented step of walking out at Ford, […]

US hot-rolled coil (HRC) is now a better deal than imported hot band, something we haven't seen since early February, according to SMU’s latest foreign vs. domestic price analysis.

Steel Market Update’s Demand Index is still in contracting territory and moving lower, where it has been for the better part of the past four-plus months, according to the latest survey data.

Sheet prices declined again this week amid persistent concerns about a potential strike at union-represented automakers.

The latest SMU Market Survey results are now available on our website to all Premium members. After logging in at steelmarketupdate.com, visit the Pricing and Analysis tab and look under the “Survey Results” section for “Latest Survey Results.” Historical survey results are also available under that selection. If you need help accessing the survey results, or if […]

Steel mill lead times were largely unchanged this week, with hot rolled extending slightly and plate falling back marginally.

Domestic hot-rolled coil (HRC) is now cheaper than imported hot band as US tags have fallen further and at a faster clip than offshore product, according to SMU’s latest foreign vs. domestic price analysis.

Sheet prices have fallen this week, after a small pause last week when prices saw mixed results. Tags have now been largely trending lower since July.

Domestic and imported hot-rolled coil (HRC) prices are nearly parallel as US tags continue to erode at a faster clip than offshore prices, according to SMU’s latest foreign vs. domestic price analysis.

On Monday and Tuesday of this week, SMU polled steel buyers on a variety of subjects, including steel prices, demand levels, sheet prices abroad, inventory, and what people are talking about in the market. Rather than summarizing the comments we received, we are sharing some of them in each buyer’s own words.

Sheet prices were mixed this week after trending lower for most of July and earlier in August. SMU’s average hold-rolled coil (HRC) price slipped to $750 per ton.

Steel Market Update’s Demand Index remains in contracting territory, where it has been for most of the last four months, according to the latest survey data. While the market did react temporarily in response to mill price hikes in mid-June, apparent demand for flat-rolled steel in the US continues to trend down.

I’m excited to see pretty much the entire steel industry this week in Atlanta. I’m looking forward to the networking and to learning from our great lineup of speakers. I also what not draw your attention to some highlights from our latest steel market survey. (Full results are here.) Some of these topics will be discussed along the sidelines as well as up on the stage.

The latest SMU Market Survey results are now available on our website to all Premium members.

Mill lead times for most sheet products this week were basically flat compared to SMU's market check two weeks ago. Those for plate shortened once again.

Sheet prices slipped again, continuing a trend of lower week-over-week tags that began in mid-July.

US service center flat-rolled steel inventories spiked in July with a slowdown in shipments. At the end of July, service centers carried 56.1 shipping days of flat roll supply, according to adjusted SMU data.

CRU research manager Stephen Williamson shares his views of this week's aluminum market.

The spread between US and offshore hot-rolled coil (HRC) prices continues to narrow as domestic tags have declined further, according to SMU’s latest foreign vs. domestic price analysis.

On Monday and Tuesday of this week, SMU polled steel buyers on a variety of subjects, including steel prices, demand levels, sheet prices abroad, inventory, and what people are talking about in the market.

SMU senior analyst David Schollert provides an overview of steel market indicators for the month of July.

This is a tough time to be in the forecasting business, especially when it comes to steel. You might have a battle-tested model based on the latest macroeconomic data, prices, inventories, and lead times. The catch: Whatever a forecast might showing now could be overshadowed by events next month. Namely, labor negotiations between the United Auto Workers (UAW) union and automakers General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis.

Steel Market Update’s Demand Index has now been contracting territory for the better part of the past 3-plus months, according to the latest survey data.