Steel Products
Steel Tariff Country Exclusions Extended
Written by John Packard
May 1, 2018
Trade attorney Lewis Leibowitz provided Steel Market Update information regarding the White House decision made earlier this evening (Monday) regarding exclusions for various countries from the Section 232 steel and aluminum tariffs. Here is what Leibowitz had to say:
At about 10:00 PM on Monday evening (tonight), the White House announced that tariffs would not be imposed on those countries (Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, the EU, Korea and Mexico) on May 1. I have not seen an amended proclamation, but I expect one will be issued soon.
For Canada, Mexico and the EU, the reprieve will last until June 1, giving time to reach agreement on quotas or other arrangements. For Argentina, Brazil and Australia, agreements in principle were announced, but details were not provided. Korea had previously announced a quota agreement for steel that will eliminate the possibility of tariffs.
No new exemptions were announced, so tariffs will remain in effect for all other countries.
Steel Market Update will have more about Section 232 and the exclusion process both by country as well as individual products being requested by U.S. steel consummers. Stay tuned to our website and newsletters.
John Packard
Read more from John PackardLatest in Steel Products
Domestic CRC prices edge up, import tags mixed
The price spread between US-produced cold-rolled (CR) coil and offshore products on a landed basis widened slightly in the week ended Nov. 22.
Active rig counts stable this week
US rig activity has remained in multi-year low territory since June. Drilling in Canada has edged lower across the last few weeks but remains historically strong.
Domestic HR, offshore prices decline
US hot-rolled (HR) coil prices slipped this week, while tags in offshore markets were also largely down. Thus, the price premium between stateside hot band and imports on a landed basis was relatively unchanged.
Kloeckner, SDI collaborate on aluminum plant in Mississippi
The investment is aimed at growing Kloeckner’s automotive and industrial segment in the US and Mexico.
HVAC shipments slip in September but are still trending higher
Following a strong August, total heating and cooling equipment shipments eased in September to a five-month low, according to the latest data from the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI).