Tag: Mexico

The Trump 1.0 tariffs appeared to have little positive effect on the US manufacturing, partly because they hurt export competitiveness.

An inventory valuation of the assets of Altos Hornos de Mexico SA (AHMSA) has been completed. Local reports suggest an auction for the assets of the bankrupt steel company could come as soon as the end of this month.

The latest on the trade war

Mexico has launched an anti-dumping investigation into imports of hot-rolled steel from China and Vietnam.

On 4 March, new 25% blanket tariffs across all products exported to the USA from Canada and Mexico are now in effect. The only exception is Canadian energy products, which will be assessed a 10% tariff.

Remember infrastructure week in Trump 1.0? It became a running joke. Because it was almost always derailed by whatever the scandal of the day was. In Trump 2.0, we've got tariff week. And unlike infrastructure week, tariff week is no joke.

President Trump reaffirmed Monday afternoon that his 25% universal tariff on all imports from Canada and Mexico would take effect on Tuesday. “Tomorrow – tariffs 25% on Canada and 25% on Mexico. And that’ll start,” Trump told reporters Monday, according to an Associated Press report. “They’re going to have to have a tariff.”

The main impact of tariffs on scrap prices would be felt in Northern states - and especially among those along the Canadian border. Many steelmakers in this area receive a substantial portion of their monthly scrap charge from Canadian processors. Much of it is prime scrap used by hot-rolled (HR) coil producers.

That’s not to say Section 232 shouldn’t be tightened up. Or that certain trade practices – even among our traditional allies – weren’t problematic. But when it comes to the reboot of Section 232, I do wonder whether there will be some unintended consequences.

North American auto assemblies recovered in January, surging 33.4% above December and rebounding from a three-year low. However, according to LMC Automotive data, assemblies were still 0.1% lower year on year (y/y). After slumping in December to the lowest total since July 2021, January’s assemblies returned to typical seasonal levels. Sentiment remains tempered as carmakers […]

Tuesday, March 4, marks the end of a 30-day delay in the levies.

Brazilian long products producer Gerdau is now considering siting a 600,000 ton per year specialty steel plant in the United States, rather than Mexico as initially planned, in the wake of President Donald Trump’s imposition of 25% tariffs on steel imports into the US.

Ternium S.A. Fourth quarter ended Dec.31 2024 2023 Change Net sales $3,876 $4,931 -21.4% Net income (loss) $333 $554 -39.9% Per diluted share $1.43 $2.11 -32.2% Full year ended Dec.31 Net sales $17,649 $17,610 0.2% Net income (loss) $174 $986 -82.4% Per diluted share $(0.27) $3.44 -108% (in millions of dollars except per share) While […]

The problem is that the situation in Washington is so fluid that no one really knows what to expect

While American steelmakers welcome the revival of the Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, other nations' steel industries are calling for retaliation against President Trump's unilateral action of upping the levies on trading allies and removing all product exemptions.

December 2024 marks the fourth month in a row that steel exports have declined, now at the lowest monthly rate recorded since December 2022.

Following the one-year low recorded in November, steel imports rose by 3% in December to 2.14 million short tons (st) according to final US Commerce Department data. January could be the highest month for steel imports witnessed in nearly three years.

“It is not by imposing tariffs that problems are resolved, but by talking and dialoguing,” President Claudia Sheinbaum said.

The benefits from higher tariffs are speculative and unproven. The disruptions caused by tariffs and other trade restrictions are better documented and cannot be rationally denied. For the tariffs to be good policy, the Trump argument must therefore be sure that the benefits to the US exceed the cost of these disruptions. Otherwise, we have madness masquerading as policy.

The Trump administration will implement 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico and 10% tariffs on China, according to a White House fact sheet and executive orders circulated on Saturday. The administration said that it would tariff “energy resources” from Canada at a lower rate – 10%. The tariffs will go into effect at 12:01 ET on Tuesday, according to an executive order. The White House documents made no mention of exemptions.

USMCA is option 1 but will cost more or not be big enough

Mexican steel trade association Canacero said US steel exports represent “a threat to the Mexican steel industry.” Canacero also backed retaliatory measures if President Trump enacts 25% tariffs on Mexico by Feb. 1.

President Donald Trump said on Monday evening that he was considering placing tariffs of 25% on imports from Canada and Mexico. The president said the tariffs could go into effect as soon as Feb. 1. President Trump threatened the tariffs as he signed a raft of executive orders in front of reporters in the Oval […]

Mexican steel trade association Canacero said steel exports from the Latin American country into the US do not pose a threat. And claims that Mexican steel exports have been the driver of US plant closures and layoffs are “unfounded,” the association said. “On the contrary, the US greatly benefits from steel trade flows and has […]

The steel industry may have to wait even longer for the initial duty determinations in the pending coated steel unfair trade investigations.

The amount of steel exiting the country continued to decline through November, falling to an 11-month low, according to the latest US Department of Commerce data. This is the third month in a row that steel exports have eased and the second-lowest monthly rate recorded in almost two years.

Domestic steel imports fell 14% from October to November to a one-year low of 2.07 million short tons (st), according to final US Commerce Department data. While steel trade has declined from early-2024 highs, November imports are slightly higher than volumes seen one year prior.

A trustee has formally taken over AHMSA and begun the liquidation process of the bankrupt Mexican steelmaker.

The volume of steel exported from the country declined in October for the second-consecutive month, following a one-year high in August.

Monthly imports have remained within a relatively narrow range since June, significantly lower than volumes seen earlier this year, but stronger than late-2023 levels.