Contributor: David Schollaert

US light-vehicle (LV) sales increased to an unadjusted 1.22 million units in February, a 9.9% gain over January but 0.7% behind year-ago totals, according to US Bureau of Economic Analysis data.

SDI expects energy, non-residential construction, and automotive to continue to drive demand.

Fully restored Section 232 tariffs on steel on March 12 cut the widening premium US prices had over most imports on a landed basis.

Domestic hot-rolled (HR) coil prices moved higher this week, still largely outpacing increases seen in offshore markets. But the reinstatement of undiluted Section 232 tariffs on steel on March 12 cut the ballooning premium stateside prices had gained on most imports on a landed basis. The premium stateside tags had over prices abroad stood at […]

The Dodge Momentum Index (DMI) saw moderate growth in February after reaching a record high the month prior, according to the latest data released by Dodge Construction Network. The February DMI rose to 225.6, a 0.7% increase from January’s downwardly revised reading of 223.9 and 27% higher than levels one year prior. “Planning momentum moderated […]

The latest SMU Community Chat webinar reply is now available on our website to all members. After logging in at steelmarketupdate.com, visit the community tab and look under the “previous webinars” section of the dropdown menu. All past Community Chat webinars are also available under that selection. If you need help accessing the webinar replay, or if your company […]

US cold-rolled (CR) coil prices continued to rise this week, well ahead of offshore prices. The price spread between stateside-produced CR and imports reached a 14-month high in the week ended March 7. Steady price gains in overseas markets continue to be overshadowed by increases in domestic prices. The result? The US premium over imports […]

SMU’s latest steel buyers market survey results are now available on our website to all premium members. After logging in at steelmarketupdate.com, visit the pricing and analysis tab and look under the “survey results” section for “latest survey results.” Past survey results are also available under that selection. If you need help accessing the survey results, or if […]

Domestic hot-rolled (HR) coil prices moved higher this week, widely outpacing increases seen in offshore markets.

Construction spending edged down slightly in January, slipping for the first time in four months. The US Census Bureau estimated spending at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $2,196 billion in January, down 0.2% from December’s downward revised rate. The January figure is 3.3% higher than a year ago. January’s result, despite the slight erosion, […]

SMU’s ferrous scrap market survey results are now available on our website to all premium members. After logging in at steelmarketupdate.com, visit the pricing and analysis tab and look under the “survey results” section for “ferrous scrap survey” results. Past flat-rolled survey results are also available under that selection. If you need help accessing the […]

Input costs have been driven higher by tighter supplies and restricted flows after a tough winter. Could rising demand from mills fuel an extended rally into Q2? Shredder feed has been strained as shredders try to fill backlogs. And shredded prices could jump by $50 per gross ton (gt) this month, some suggest. It's a similar story with prime grades. That's because industrial generation is down, and hot-rolled coil production is picking up.

US plate prices have moved up at a sharp clip over the past three weeks. The gains come on the heels of a unified mill pricing blitz, bolstered by the threat of looming tariffs and the expectation of sharply higher scrap prices. Prices hit their lowest level in more than four years in late January, […]

The price spread between stateside-produced CR and imports reached its widest margin in over a year.

Hot-rolled (HR) coil prices continued to rally in the US this week, quickly outpacing price gains seen abroad. The result: US hot band prices have grown widely more expensive than imports on a landed basis. The premium US HR tags carry over HR prices abroad now stands at a 14-month high. SMU’s average domestic HR […]

North American auto assemblies recovered in January, surging 33.4% above December and rebounding from a three-year low. However, according to LMC Automotive data, assemblies were still 0.1% lower year on year (y/y). After slumping in December to the lowest total since July 2021, January’s assemblies returned to typical seasonal levels. Sentiment remains tempered as carmakers […]

US light-vehicle (LV) sales slowed to an unadjusted 1.11 million units in January, a sharp cut of over 25% from December but still 3.8% above year-ago totals, according to US Bureau of Economic Analysis data. On an annualized basis, LV sales were 15.6 million units in January, down from 16.9 million units the month prior […]

The latest SMU Community Chat webinar reply is now available on our website to all members. After logging in at steelmarketupdate.com, visit the community tab and look under the “previous webinars” section of the dropdown menu. All past Community Chat webinars are also available under that selection. If you need help accessing the webinar replay, or if your company […]

Evraz North America (NA) has followed Nucor and SSAB with a plate price increase of its own: up $160 per short ton (st). The increase was effective immediately for all new orders of carbon, high-strength low-alloy, and normalized and quenched-and-tempered plate products, as well as for hot-rolled coil, the steelmaker said in a letter to […]

As of Monday, Feb. 24, the steelmaker's list price for HR stood at $860 per short ton (st), up $40/st from last week. The company has increased HR prices by $110/st over the past four weeks, according to SMU's mill price announcement calendar.

Hot-rolled (HR) coil prices leaped in the US this week, while tags abroad saw more measured gains. The result: US hot band prices have become even more expensive than imports on a landed basis. In fact, the premium US HR prices carry over HR prices abroad now stands at a 12-month high.

The latest oil and gas rig count in the US increased slightly from last week, while Canadian activity edged lower, according to Baker Hughes.

SMU’s latest steel buyers market survey results are now available on our website to all premium members. After logging in at steelmarketupdate.com, visit the pricing and analysis tab and look under the “survey results” section for “latest survey results.” Past survey results are also available under that selection. If you need help accessing the survey results, or if […]

Architecture firms continued to report a sharp reduction in billings in January, according to the latest Architecture Billings Index (ABI) released by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and Deltek.

Buyers responding to our latest market survey reported that steel mill lead times were stretching out this week for sheet and plate products tracked by SMU. The results weren’t much of a surprise. Production times have begun moving out following a wave of frenzied buying in response to stricter Section 232 announced by the Trump […]

The latest SMU Community Chat webinar reply is now available on our website to all members. After logging in at steelmarketupdate.com, visit the community tab and look under the “previous webinars” section of the dropdown menu. All past Community Chat webinars are also available under that selection. If you need help accessing the webinar replay, or if your company […]

Sheet and plate prices surged higher this week on a wave of what some called “panic buying” following the Trump administration’s announcement of stricter Section 232 measures last week.

Business activity in New York state’s manufacturing sector recovered nicely in February after a sharp decline the previous month, according to the latest Empire State Manufacturing Survey from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The general business conditions index rose 18 points to 5.7. This is a diffusion index, where a positive reading signifies […]

The price spread between US-produced cold-rolled (CR) coil and offshore CR products widened again in the week ended Feb. 14, as prices for US product accelerated ahead of imports. Domestic CR coil tags jumped week on week (w/w), while offshore markets moved higher at a slower pace. The result? The US premium over imports widened […]

Hot-rolled (HR) coil prices rose further in the US this week, while tags abroad saw minor gains. The result: the margin US hot band holds over imports on a landed basis increased.