Final Thoughts

Final Thoughts

Written by John Packard


Please excuse me as I am asking for a pass on tonight’s Final Thoughts. I left Las Vegas yesterday morning with a case of the 24-48 hour flu. I guess I could write a couple of paragraphs about our next Steel 101 workshop or about our SMU Steel Summit Conference. But, I thought my energy would be better spent trying to get well.

Thank you for your understanding and I will make up for this pass with a knockout Final Thoughts on either Sunday or Tuesday evening.

As always, your business is truly appreciated by all of us here at Steel Market Update.

John Packard, Publisher

Latest in Final Thoughts

Final Thoughts

President Donald Trump on Sunday hammered Colombia with 25% tariffs and threatened to increase them to 50%. Trump in a post on Truth Social said he took the action not because of a trade dispute but because the South American nation had refused to accept planes carrying deported immigrants. The president also cited "national security" concerns, just as he did to justify 25% Section 232 tariffs on steel in his first term. Even the 50% threat echoes his first term. Turkish steel, like that of most nations, was assessed a 25% tariff in March 2018. Trump doubled Turkey's tariff to 50% via a tweet in August of that year over a matter unrelated to steel.