Final Thoughts
Final Thoughts
Written by John Packard
October 11, 2013
We are back in our offices, life is back to normal after traveling over the past four days to Arkansas and our website due date keeps on getting pushed back… Frustration is running high at SMU these days. The developers haven’t given us a firm promise date but it is beginning to look like November 1st is the new September 13th.
We had a great workshop and Nucor did an outstanding job of hosting our large group. Kudos to Sam Commella (Vice President & General Manager of Nucor Arkansas) Doug Rife and Jeremy Cooper for assisting in our educational process.
In our next issue we will discuss a little known secret outside of the Nucor Arkansas walls – Strawberries…
Until then we want to thank all of our members for their business as it is truly appreciated by all of us here at Steel Market Update.
John Packard
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Final Thoughts
United Airlines raised eyebrows earlier this month when it provided two forecasts for 2025 – one assuming a relatively stable economy and another assuming a recession. The reason? Uncertainty around the impact of President Trump’s policy shocks on the broader economy. And it sometimes feels like we’re seeing a battle between those two narratives (stable vs recession) play out within in the pages of this newsletter.
Final Thoughts
Despite some scary headlines lately (especially about Trump potentially firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell) this is not October 2008 (financial crisis) or March 2020 (onset of the pandemic). But it sure seems like we’ve taken a relatively strong economy and poured a thick sauce of uncertainty over it.
Final Thoughts
I put some of our survey data through ChatGpt, with interesting results.
Final Thoughts
Nearly 50% of respondents to our latest survey thought hot-rolled coil prices have already peaked. And where will those prices be two months from now? Responses were decidedly split on that question.
Final Thoughts
A modest week-to-week change in HR price understates a huge swing in expectations.