Job creation in manufacturing has slowed dramatically in the last three months, but construction employment is still expanding rapidly. In April, 236,000 jobs were created in the private sector and government added 27,000. Table 1 breaks total employment down into service and goods-producing industries and then into private and government employees. Most of the goods-producing […]
Steel mill shipments have declined slightly since November on a seasonally adjusted basis, while the inventory-to-shipment ratio has increased slightly since October, according to Steel Market Update’s latest analysis of Census Bureau data. Steel trade association data from the AISI and MSCI is most widely used to assess the state of the industry. In addition, […]
I got a call earlier today asking about a steel publication changing the direction of some of their flat rolled pricing. I responded that I don’t read the other trade publications, and I don’t follow their indices. I do not want to be influenced as I go through the always difficult, and sometimes tedious, process […]
Global manufacturing activity appeared lackluster in April. The J.P. Morgan Global Manufacturing PMI hovered just above the no change mark at 50.3, down from 50.5 in March, and at its lowest reading since June 2016. “The global manufacturing sector remained subdued at the start of the second quarter, with the PMI barely above the 50.0 […]
Southwark Metal Manufacturing Co., maker of sheet metal duct and fittings, has opened a new manufacturing plant in Phoenix, Ariz. The new facility enhances Southwark’s presence, manufacturing capabilities, and customer support throughout the Southwest, allowing the company to service customers in all 50 states. The 75,780-square-foot facility is poised to service HVAC distributors in Arizona, […]
Olympic Steel reported a 19 percent increase in its first-quarter sales, netting $446 million, thanks in part to its January acquisition of manufacturer McCullough Industries. Net income for the quarter totaled $2.1 million, down from 7.6 million in the same quarter of 2018. Returns from Olympic’s manufacturing segment are considerably higher than service center margins, […]
Another exciting week in the steel industry… A couple of reminders: With four months yet to go we are marching toward 400 registered executives for the 2019 SMU Steel Summit Conference, which will be held in Atlanta on Aug. 26-28. This is THE premier networking event for the steel industry during the calendar year. Here […]
Twice per month Steel Market Update conducts an analysis of the flat rolled and plate steel markets and market trends. We are searching for what is moving the markets, and what buyers and sellers of steel should anticipate in the coming weeks and months. One of the key questions associated with our analysis: Are the […]
Trade attorney and Steel Market Update contributor Lewis Leibowitz offers the following update on events in Washington: President Trump’s Twitter finger twitched on Sunday. He announced via his favorite social media platform that he has grown tired of China’s stalling. He will increase the 10 percent tariffs on goods imported from China to 25 percent […]
Caterpillar manufacturing costs escalated in first quarter by $375 million compared to a year ago on higher steel prices, freight and variable labor costs. “These higher costs, while unfavorable, were improved from the fourth quarter levels. Material costs included a direct tariff expense in the first quarter of about $70 million, in line with what […]
The recent mining accident in Brazil leading to lost production of iron ore at Vale is “shaping up to be a multi-year shortage of iron ore and pellets,” said Cleveland Cliffs CEO Lourenco Goncalves during earnings remarks on Thursday. “The catastrophic events in Brazil have provoked a radical change in the supply-demand dynamics of iron […]
Durable goods orders jumped 2.7 percent in March for the fourth increase in five months. Transportation equipment led the increase, leaping 7.0 percent to $93.8 billion. Aircraft orders rose 31 percent, primarily for Boeing jets. Boeing reported 44 aircraft orders in March compared to five in February. None were for the grounded 737 Max aircraft […]
Like the mills, service centers enjoyed robust returns in 2018. With one quarter in the books, it appears this year is setting up to be more challenging. Steel Market Update has recruited three of the industry’s top distribution execs to share their perspectives on steel demand in 2019 during SMU’s Steel Summit Aug. 26-28 in […]
Like the mills, service centers enjoyed robust returns in 2018. With one quarter in the books, it appears this year is setting up to be more challenging. Steel Market Update has recruited three of the industry’s top distribution execs to share their perspectives on steel demand in 2019 during SMU’s Steel Summit Aug. 26-28 in […]
Steel Dynamics has narrowed the choice for its new flat rolled steel mill to either Texas or Louisiana. The planned $1.8 billion EAF mill will have an annual production capacity of 3 million tons and include a 450,000-ton galvanizing line and 250,000-ton paint line with Galvalume capability. The mill will differentiate itself by producing higher […]
The official economic statistics out of China show a surge in industrial production in March and a steady growth in fixed asset investment. Once each quarter, Steel Market Update publishes the official statistics for Chinese GDP, industrial production, consumer price inflation and fixed asset investment. We don’t know the accuracy of these numbers but we […]
Economic indicators of manufacturing activity are strong, though the growth rate is slowing. This report summarizes 11 data streams that describe the state of U.S. manufacturing in general and the steel industry in particular. We have reported on most of these separately in our Steel Market Update publications, and therefore will be brief in this […]
Most indicators of manufacturing activity are still positive, but evidence of a slowdown is indisputable. This report summarizes 11 data streams that describe the state of U.S. manufacturing in general and the steel industry in particular. We have reported on most of these separately in our Steel Market Update publications and therefore will be brief […]
The metalforming industry is expecting a dip in business conditions in the next three months, according to the April 2019 Precision Metalforming Association survey. “The Business Conditions Report reflects the growing concern of metalforming manufacturers that the Section 232 steel tariffs are creating a drag on the U.S. manufacturing sector,” said PMA President David Klotz. […]
ArcelorMittal received approval from the European Commission to sell several of its European steelmaking assets to Liberty House Group. The sale is part of a divestment agreement made by ArcelorMittal with the Commission to acquire the Italian steel mill Ilva. Included in the transaction is ArcelorMittal Ostrava (Czech Republic), ArcelorMittal Galati (Romania), ArcelorMittal Skopje (Macedonia), […]
AK Steel announced that longtime engineering employee, Laura Szpot, was recognized by the Manufacturing Institute as one of the 2019 STEP Ahead Award honorees who exemplify leadership in Science, Technology, Engineering or Production. Laura was among honorees recently recognized by the Manufacturing Institute in Washington, D.C. The Manufacturing Institute is an authority on the attraction, […]
First, please be aware that Sunday is Easter and Steel Market Update will not publish an issue on Sunday evening. Our next issue will be on Tuesday, April 23. We have been receiving calls and getting comments associated with our release of the SMU Service Center Inventories Analysis in Sunday evening’s issue where we showed […]
Global steel demand will top 1.75 billion metric tons by the end of next year, despite economic headwinds in many parts of the globe, predicts the World Steel Association in its April 2019 Short Range Outlook. Worldwide, steel demand will increase by 1.3 percent this year to 1,735 Mt, followed by further 1 percent growth […]
A six point increase to 10.1 in the general business index of the Empire State Manufacturing survey indicated a modest rise in manufacturing activity in April. New York manufacturers reported a slight rise in new orders and shipments. The new orders index rose to 7.5 from 3.0 in March, while the shipments index increased to […]
Net job creation in March totaled 196,000, an increase from an upwardly revised 33,000 in February. January was revised up by 1,000 to 312,000. Rising employment and wages are the main contributor to GDP growth because personal consumption accounts for almost 70 percent of GDP. Steel consumption is related to GDP; therefore, this is one […]
U.S. manufacturing lost jobs in March, but has had strong job growth in the last 12 months. In March, 182,000 jobs were created in the private sector and government added 14,000, reports the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Table 1 breaks total employment down into service and goods-producing industries and then into private and government employees. […]
The International Monetary Fund has reduced its estimate of U.S. GDP growth for 2019, but increased it in each year 2020 through 2024. The IMF updates its World Economic Outlook (WEO) in April and October each year. On April 9, the following was published in the IMF blog: “After strong growth in 2017 and early […]
By CRU Principal Analyst Matthew Watkins. In the event of a no-deal Brexit, the key short-term impacts on the European steel market are likely to be increased delays for material crossing the UK-EU border as well as modifications to the EU safeguard system. Beyond short-term behavior such as stockpiling, there are possible longer-term effects, perhaps […]
Material Sciences Corporation was honored with a 2019 Automotive News PACE Award for its MSC Smart Steel®, a new multilayer steel laminate engineered as a direct substitute for low carbon stamped vehicle body parts. Offering up to a 35 percent mass savings compared with same-thickness standard steel, MSC Smart Steel is produced as a coil, […]
For all of you golf fanatics, it was fun to see Tiger Woods win after a 14-year drought at the Masters, and after his serious back injuries that made it look doubtful if he would ever be able to play again, never mind win a Masters Championship. I don’t have the exact count of current […]