Monthly Key Market Indicators (KMI) have steadily improved since reaching their most recent low in July, though steel buyer sentiment recently tumbled to a 26-month low, according to the latest analysis by Steel Market Update. Positive and neutral indicators have increased, while negatives have eased. Despite some recent improvements, present headwinds are still notable. The […]
Steel Market Update’s (SMU) Steel Buyers Sentiment Index remained roughly steady this week, as it has seen since mid-September. Our Future Buyers Sentiment Index inched down three points but remains in line with levels recorded in late September. Buyers Sentiment peaked earlier this year. It has trended downward since May but nonetheless remains in positive […]
After ticking downward in the middle of October, Steel Market Update’s (SMU) Steel Buyers Sentiment Indices both saw marginal increases this week. Buyers Sentiment has trended downward overall since May, with buyers concerned about high inventory costs, dismal demand, and a slowing economy. SMU’s Buyers Sentiment Index attempts to measure how steel buyers feel about […]
Steel Market Update’s (SMU) Steel Buyers Sentiment Indices both saw slight declines this week, following modest gains two weeks prior. Sentiment has trended downward overall since May, with buyers attributing their dismal outlooks to weakening demand, high inventory costs, and recession concerns. SMU’s Buyers Sentiment Index measures how steel buyers and sellers feel about their […]
Steel Market Update’s (SMU) Steel Buyers Sentiment Index saw a slight uptick this week. The modest gain follows a double-digit decline two weeks prior. Industry sentiment has trended downward since May, with continued concerns about demand, profitability, high-cost inventory, and recession. Despite the increased gloom, SMU’s Future Steel Buyers Sentiment Index also bounced back this […]
Steel Market Update’s (SMU) Steel Buyers Sentiment Index saw double-digit declines last week, falling to the second-lowest level seen in the past two years. Our Future Steel Buyers Sentiment Index also declined, now tied for the third-lowest reading in that same time frame. Buyers attribute their weaking optimism to profitability concerns on high-cost inventory as […]
Steel Market Update’s (SMU) Steel Buyers Sentiment Index inched up through the end of August data, while our Future Steel Buyers Sentiment Index slightly declined. The latest Sentiment Index is in line with our two previous readings over the last month. Future Sentiment is now at the fourth lowest level of the year, just behind […]
Steel Market Update’s Steel Buyers Sentiment Index eased from it’s early-August blip, as did our Future Steel Buyers Sentiment Index. The latest Sentiment Index is tied with the early-June reading for the third lowest level recorded this year. Future Sentiment is now at the fourth lowest level of the year. Recall that one month ago, […]
Steel Market Update’s Steel Buyers Sentiment Index bounced back from its mid-July dip and is now at the highest level since early June. Our Future Sentiment Index also significantly recovered compared to our previous survey and is now at an eight-week high. SMU surveys steel buyers every other week, asking how they view their chances of […]
Monthly Key Market Indicators (KMI) fell through June and into July, while steel buyer sentiment tumbled to a two-year low, according to the latest analysis by Steel Market Update. Negative and neutral indicators have increased, while positive indicators have collapsed. Present headwinds are notable. Consumers and businesses have pulled back on spending, and rising inflation […]
The SMU Steel Buyers Sentiment Index collapsed last week to the lowest reading we have had since the early days of the pandemic. Current Sentiment, which is how companies feel about their ability to be successful in the current market environment, came in at +43 compared to the +60 recorded just two weeks ago. The […]
Steel Market Update’s Steel Buyers Sentiment Index fell this week to its lowest level since early August 2020. Our Future Sentiment Index also saw double-digit declines this week, dropping to a near two-year low. SMU surveys steel buyers every other week and asks how they view their chances of success in the current market and […]
Steel Market Update’s Steel Buyers Sentiment Index rose one 1 this week, inching up from the 18-month low seen in late June. Our Future Sentiment Index also recovered a few points from a significant decline in June. It rose 3 points this week. SMU surveys steel buyers every other week and asks how they view their chances of success […]
Steel Market Update’s Steel Buyers Sentiment Index fell 11 points to an 18-month low last week, the largest survey-to-survey decline since April 2020. Our Future Sentiment Index also declined significantly last week, following another large decline four weeks prior. SMU surveys steel buyers every other week and asks how they view their chances of success […]
Steel Market Update just conducted one of our flat rolled and plate steel market surveys. The data collected consisted of responses from service centers (46% of respondents), manufacturing companies (32%), steel mills (10%), trading companies (8%), suppliers to the steel industry (4%), and toll processors (2%). We intentionally weight the number toward distributors and manufacturing […]
Steel Market Update just conducted one of our flat rolled and plate steel market surveys. The data collected consisted of responses from service centers (46% of respondents), manufacturing companies (32%), steel mills (10%), trading companies (8%), suppliers to the steel industry (4%), and toll processors (2%). We intentionally weight the number toward distributors and manufacturing […]
Steel Market Update’s Steel Buyers Sentiment Index remained unchanged last week, holding steady at the third-lowest level seen in the past 13 months. Our Future Sentiment Index also remains unchanged compared to our late-May reading (which was the largest survey-to-survey decline since March 2020). SMU surveys steel buyers every other week and asks how they view their chances of success […]
With one month left in the second quarter of 2022, more steel buyers are reporting decreasing optimism and weakening demand. When asked about their optimism or pessimism for the remainder of Q2, the number of buyers reporting pessimism rose from 14% in the prior survey to 27% in last week’s Steel Market Update market survey. Still, […]
Steel Market Update’s Steel Buyers Sentiment Index fell 8 points last week, now at the third-lowest level seen in the past 13 months. Our Future Sentiment Index fell 16 points, the largest survey-to-survey decline since March 2020 (when sentiment fell in response to the Covid pandemic). SMU surveys buyers every two weeks and asks how […]
Steel Market Update’s Steel Buyer’s Sentiment Index slipped 2 points last week following three consecutive weeks of steel price declines. Our Future Sentiment Index was unchanged and remains at a new high set just two weeks prior. SMU surveys buyers every two weeks and asks how they view their chances of success in the near […]
Steel Market Update’s Steel Buyers Sentiment Index rose 2 points last week, in line with the strong levels we’ve seen over the last six weeks. Our Future Sentiment Index rose to a new high, surpassing a prior record set in November 2021. SMU surveys buyers every two weeks and asks how they view their chances of […]
Monthly Key Market Indicators improved slightly through March, though sentiment remains cautious, according to the latest analysis by Steel Market Update. Neutral and positive indicators have increased, while negative indicators have eased. Consumers and businesses continue to spend even though economic dynamics remain in flux, with supply disruptions weighing on the economy. While inflation continues […]
Steel Market Update’s Steel Buyers Sentiment Index moved 4 points lower this week, following a 3-point bump up two weeks prior and an 11 point surge in mid-March. Theses sentiment measures correlate with the sharp rebound in steel prices caused by the Ukraine-Russia war, as well as the recent slowdown seen in prices. Steel Market Update’s latest benchmark price […]
Steel Market Update’s Steel Buyers Sentiment Index moved 4 points lower this week, following a 3-point bump up two weeks prior and an 11 point surge in mid-March. Theses sentiment measures correlate with the sharp rebound in steel prices caused by the Ukraine-Russia war, as well as the recent slowdown seen in prices. Steel Market Update’s latest benchmark price […]
SMU’s Steel Buyers Sentiment Index moved 3 points higher this week, following an 11 point surge in mid-March. Theses jumps in sentiment correlate with the unexpected rebound in steel prices caused by the Ukraine-Russia war. Steel Market Update’s latest check of the market pegged the benchmark price for hot rolled coil at $1,435 per ton […]
SMU’s Steel Buyers Sentiment Index surged 11 points this week, the largest change from one survey to the next in 17 months. The surprising jump in sentiment correlates with the unexpected rebound in steel prices caused by the conflict in Ukraine. Steel Market Update’s check of the market this week pegged the benchmark price for […]
SMU’s Steel Buyers Sentiment Index continues to inch downward from its late-2021 peak, with the latest three-month moving average sliding to the lowest level seen in nearly 10 months. Although down, sentiment remains at very optimistic levels on the 100-point scale. Steel Market Update surveys buyers every two weeks and asks how they view their […]
Despite the fact that steel prices have plunged since last fall, industry sentiment has not fallen nearly as sharply and remains at a highly optimistic level – a positive sign for the first half of the year. Steel Market Update surveys buyers every two weeks and asks how they view their chances of success in […]
Monthly Key Market Indicators improved slightly through January, showing promising signs of progress, according to the latest analysis by Steel Market Update. Following a more uncertain close to 2021, both neutral and positive indicators expanded, while negative indicators continued to ease. Though economic dynamics remain in flux, with supply-chain bottlenecks and rising inflation and producer […]
Steel Buyers Sentiment, as measured by Steel Market Update, has inched downward since the beginning of the year and may finally be reflecting the market’s concerns about sharply declining steel prices. While sentiment readings in the 60s are the lowest they have been since last spring, they remain at very optimistic levels on the 100-point […]