Schnitzer Steel Industries Inc. posted its best third-quarter earnings on record thanks to high prices and strong demand for both ferrous and nonferrous scrap. The Portland, Ore.-based scrap recycler and long steel producer recorded net income of $76 million in the third quarter of its fiscal 2022 ended May 31, 2022, doubling earnings of $38 […]
Nextracker LLC, a global utility-scale solar tracker manufacturer, and BCI Steel, a Pittsburgh-based steel fabricator, will breathe new life into the abandoned Bethlehem Steel manufacturing facility in Leetsdale, Pa. The historic factory – once a part of one of the world’s largest steel-producing and shipbuilding companies of the 20th century, and where steel for US […]
The steel industry’s push to decrease CO2 emissions in steelmaking will require an increase in high-grade iron ore production and improved beneficiation techniques, according to a report from The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA). To reach net-zero emissions by 2050, not only will steelmakers need to switch production methods from coal-consuming blast […]
New orders for US manufactured durable goods rose more than expected in May, suggesting business investment remains resilient even in the face of deteriorating business and consumer sentiment as well as heightened fears of a recession. Last month’s bookings for durable goods rose 0.7% following a revised 0.4% decline a month earlier, according to the […]
Raw steel production by US mills edged down marginally last week, slipping for the second straight week. Domestic capacity utilization dipped to 80.2% while mill production totaled 1,750,000 net tons in the week ending June 25, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported. US output was down 0.5% versus the week prior and 5.1% […]
New home sales posted a solid gain in May following four months of declines. The increase came despite strong headwinds, including rising mortgage rates and high sales prices. The reason: buyers rushing into the market in advance of the Federal Reserve’s June interest rate hike. Sales of newly built, single-family homes in May increased 10.7% to a […]
Nucor Corp. completed its $3 billion acquisition of C.H.I. Overhead Doors from KKR & Co. Inc. C.H.I. is a manufacturer of residential and commercial overhead and rolling doors, also known as garage doors. It serves US and Canadian markets. The deal expands the Charlotte, N.C.-based steelmaker’s long-term strategy to expand its manufacturing model to provide […]
World crude steel production rose in May, gaining ground for a third consecutive month and reaching its second-highest mark on record. Global output was estimated at 169.5 million metric tons in May. Steelmakers around the world increased production by an estimated 6.8 million metric tons, or 4.2%, from April, according to World Steel Association (worldsteel) data. […]
Demand for design services from architecture firms in the US continued to expand in May, though the score was down three points month-on-month (MoM). May marked the 16th consecutive month of growth following the pandemic-induced downturn in 2020. The May AIA Architecture Billings Index registered 53.5, down slightly from April’s score of 56.5, according to […]
Global crude steel production was estimated at 169.5 million metric tons in May as steelmakers around the world expanded output by 6.8 million metric tons, or 4.2%, from the prior month, the World Steel Association (worldsteel) reported. Since reaching an all-time high of 174.4 million metric tons last May, global steel output had steadily waned […]
Gary, Ind.-based Alliance Steel, a flat-rolled coil service center and toll processor, appoints Andrew “Drew” Gross as president and chief operating officer. He will assume his new role effective July 1, the company said. Gross, who has been with Alliance for more than 15 years, held several senior positions within the company, including merchandising, sales, […]
Several North American automakers have confirmed planned summer outages for maintenance programs, facility updates, and model-year changeovers to Steel Market Update (SMU). Some outages are starting this month, while others can be seen as late as August, but the bulk of the scheduled downtime will be seen throughout the month of July. Stellantis – Chrysler’s […]
Existing-home sales shrank in May, retreating for the fourth straight month, according to the National Association of Realtors. Three out of the four major US regions saw sales fall month-over-month (MoM) in May while sales in the Northeast climbed 1.5%. Sales were down across each region year-over-year (YoY). May sales fell 3.4% from April to […]
SSAB and Shape Corp., have partnered to deliver fossil-free steel crash management and body structure systems to the US market, the steelmaker said. The Grand Haven, Mich.-based tier-one automotive supplier of lightweight body structures, will be testing SSAB’s HYBRIT steel – made from hydrogen-reduced sponge iron – for use in automotive applications. “We are excited […]
Raw steel production by US mills continued its seesaw trend last week, edging down after inching up the week prior. Domestic capacity utilization slipped to 80.5% while mill production totaled 1,758,000 net tons in the week ending June 18, the American Iron and Steel Institute reported. US output was down 1.5% versus the week prior […]
More than three-quarters of US states added construction jobs over the past 12 months ended May 2022, though momentum has slowed with less than half adding jobs month-on-month (MoM) in May, according to the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) analysis of federal employment data. AGC said monthly employment gains lagged in May, with just […]
US light vehicle sales fell to 1.11 million units in May, down 11.2% from 1.25 million units in April. LV sales in the US shrank by 29.2% year-on-year (YoY). The annualized selling rate fell to 12.68 million units last month from 14.50 million units in April, the US Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) reported. The […]
North American auto assemblies improved by 5.9% in May, after shrinking by 15.8% the month prior – the first decline all year. And though ongoing supply hurdles continue, North American production has improved since bottoming out last December. May’s results are 14.4% higher year-on-year (YoY), but still 17.5% below the pre-pandemic period of May 2019. […]
Housing starts tumbled in May as the construction sector faces strong headwinds. Rising interest rates, ongoing building material supply chain troubles, and ballooning construction costs further delayed construction projects and raise home building costs. Overall housing starts fell 14.4% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.55 million units in May from an upwardly revised […]
Business activity in the state of New York was little changed in June, following a surprising fall in May, according to the Empire State Manufacturing Survey. The New York Fed’s Empire State headline general business conditions index – a gauge of manufacturing activity in the state – rose 10.4 points in June but remained at […]
Steel Dynamics Inc. (SDI) expects its best second-quarter earnings to date for the three-month period ended June 30. Record results are projected despite lower average flat-rolled steel selling prices. The Fort Wayne, Ind.-based steelmaker expects earnings of $6.66-6.37 per diluted share in the second quarter, according to guidance figures released on Thursday, June 16. That’s […]
Imports of less expensive sheet and plate products continue to arrive at US ports, though at a much slower pace in April. Following a boost in volumes in March, imports of flat products decelerated in April and saw their share of the domestic steel market fall, according to Commerce Department data. Imports’ share of US sheet […]
Total mill shipments of steel products slipped in April following a slight uptick the month prior. April’s mill shipments totaled 8.12 million tons, 2.6% decline from March’s 8.34 million tons. Apparent supply also fell in April, down 4.7% versus the prior month. This analysis is based on steel mill shipment data from the American Iron and Steel […]
Nucor Corp. expects to post the most profitable quarter in its history, the company said, for its second-quarter ending July 2 earnings guidance. The Charlotte, N.C.-based steelmaker expects earnings of $8.75 to $8.85 per diluted share in the second quarter, according to figures released on Wednesday, June 15. That’s up from the previous record of […]
SSAB and its green steel partners LKAB and Vattenfall have launched HYBRIT’s pilot facility for fossil-free hydrogen gas storage. The first-of-its-kind rock cavern storage facility is in Luleå, northeast Sweden. The launch of the new storage concept marks the beginning of a two-year test period, which will run until 2024, the company said. The unique […]
Raw steel production by US mills edged up last week, rebounding from a slight dip the week prior. Domestic capacity utilization rose to 81.7% while mill production totaled 1,784,000 net tons in the week ending June 11, the American Iron and Steel Institute reported. US output was up 0.2% versus the week prior but 3.3% […]
US automotive sales in May are expected to drop below previous forecasts and to fall to their slowest pace in 2022, Cox Automotive reported. Declines of roughly 28% in sales year-on-year (YoY) were expected last month, though preliminary results indicate a drop of more than 29%, the automotive agency said. “Auto sales in May are […]
US construction spending in April totaled $1.744 trillion at a seasonally adjusted annual rate, just 0.2% above February’s upwardly revised $1.741 trillion. Investment in construction rose less than expected as an increase in private construction was partially offset by declines in public spending, the Commerce Department reported. Construction spending in April missed expectations, easing from a […]
The US labor market added 390,000 jobs in May, a robust figure but a slower pace of hiring versus the upwardly revised 436,000 additional payrolls in April. The result kept the unemployment rate unchanged month on month (MoM) at the pandemic-era low of 3.6%, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. Payroll gains were better than […]
Editor’s note: Steel Market Update is pleased to share this Premium content with Executive members. For information on how to upgrade to a Premium-level subscription, email Info@SteelMarketUpdate.com. The US economy surprises in May by adding 390,000 new jobs, higher than earlier estimates and despite growing concerns about economic slowdown and surging inflation. The result kept the […]