Final Thoughts

Final Thoughts
Written by John Packard
October 14, 2016
On Monday morning we will begin our mid-October flat rolled steel market survey. We expect to invite more than 550 people representing about 525 companies to participate in this market trends analysis. The invitations should be in your email inbox by 8 AM ET.
We provide a power point presentation putting a good portion of the results into a historical context. The presentation will be available to those who provide responses on Friday of this week. It will also be available to our Premium level members.
We should have the Huntsville, AL Steel 101 workshop up and ready for reservations sometime this week. We will advise once the negotiations with the hotel have been completed. I will be looking forward to seeing you in Alabama for our first Steel 101 workshop of the New Year.
The last presidential debate is Wednesday (thank god) and this election cycle will soon be over – do any of you think the presidential election cycle has been negatively affecting the industry? Send me your thoughts: John@SteelMarketUpdate.com
Speaking of the steel industry on Friday the Wall Street Journal published an article entitled: Donald Trump’s Use of Foreign Steel Undercuts Major Campaign Theme. I have a “cameo” appearance in the article stating the obvious. You can click on the link to see what I and others had to say on the subject.
As always your business is truly appreciated by all of us here at Steel Market Update.
John Packard, Publisher

John Packard
Read more from John PackardLatest in Final Thoughts

Final Thoughts
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.

Final Thoughts
As February comes to a close this week, the scrap markets are poised for another – and perhaps more extreme – move upward in March. March is usually a month when scrap prices relent as winter’s impediments subside. That’s not the case this year. And this time, the driver of prices will be increased demand from mills along with restricted flows over the last two months.

Final Thoughts
The US steel market has whipsawed upward on the prospect of expanded Section 232 tariffs of 25% being applied to imported steel - including downstream goods - on March 12. It seems pretty clear that domestic steel mills have the ear of the Trump administration when it comes to Section 232. The result? The much-anticipated Trump bump has finally arrived - and then some.

Final Thoughts
Some of you have told me that the current market feels about as crazy as early 2021 when demand snapped back after the initial outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. Others have said it might be more like late February/early March 2022, when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine – and, in the process, caused […]

Final Thoughts
To say we’ve entered a “Brave New World” since Jan. 20 might be an exaggeration, but we’ve definitely entered a different one.