Contributor: Ethan Bernard

Domestic steel shipments increased in May month over month but have fallen on-year.

SMU’s Steel Buyers’ Sentiment Indices dropped this week, with Current Sentiment plummeting to a level not seen since the Covid-19 pandemic, according to our most recent survey data.

Sheet steel buyers found mills more willing to negotiate spot pricing this week, according to our most recent survey data.

Cornerstone Building Brands agreed to buy Mueller Supply Co. for $475 million, according to a Form 8-K filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on July 1.

Cornerstone Building Brands is set to buy Mueller Supply Co., a manufacturer of residential metal roofing and components and steel buildings in Texas and the Southwest.

Looking out over the American economy, Triple-S Steel Holdings CEO Gary Stein believes what is required doesn’t fundamentally have to do with government policy. “Rather, it’s a mind shift.”

July is less than a week away, which means SMU’s Steel Summit in August is just around the corner.

The Congressional Steel Caucus have expressed concern regarding the US government’s potential trade status change for Vietnam.

The Canadian Steel Producers Association (CSPA) has lauded Canada’s decision to launch an investigation into China’s unfair trade practices in electric vehicles (EVs). However, the association hopes the government will go even further and extend the investigation into other sectors.

Worthington Steel’s earnings slipped in its fiscal fourth quarter while sales ticked up.

Mill Steel Co. has named Evan Keebler as VP of sales for its construction segment.

Algoma executives reiterated that operations are proceeding as normal following an unplanned BF outage earlier this year.

The city of Quincy, Wash., in Grant County is being considered among possible locations for Nucor’s proposed rebar micro-mill in the Pacific Northwest, according to a local report.

JSW Steel USA plans to invest $110 million in steel plate mill modernization projects with sustainable technology in its Baytown, Texas, facility.

Bend, Ore.-based Origami Solar has partnered with three US steel fabricators to prioritize a domestic supply chain for its solar frames.

SMU’s Current Steel Buyers’ Sentiment Index tumbled this week, while Future Sentiment ticked up slightly, according to our most recent survey data.

The summer doldrums are here. That means lazy days at the office, or behind the computer. Perhaps heading over to the water cooler to chat, maybe stare at a fly buzzing on a windowsill. There is work to be done, product to be made or shipped, but there’s no hurry. And around lunchtime, you hang that classic sign on the front door: Gone fishin’.

Outgoing Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) said the incoming administration of Claudia Sheinbaum will be able to resolve the woes of shuttered steelmaker Altos Hornos de México (AHMSA). 

Steel buyers of hot-rolled, cold-rolled, and galvanized products found mills more willing to negotiate spot pricing this week, according to our most recent survey data. However, buyers of Galvalume and plate products said mills were less willing to talk price.

Galvanized prices have tumbled from a month ago, and many market participants expect that trend to continue in July.

Steel Dynamics Inc.’s (SDI’s) top executive Mark D. Millett has received the 2024 Willy Korf/Ken Iverson Steel Vision Award.

U.S. Steel has guided to lower second-quarter earnings both sequentially and on-year in "dynamic" spot price market.

We’re less than a week off from the official start of summer, and anticipation leading up to SMU’s Steel Summit 2024 is already heating up.

Canada’s Algoma is set to host the grand opening of its modernized plate mill in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, on June 18.

The spread between hot-rolled coil (HRC) and prime scrap prices has narrowed for the second consecutive month, according to SMU’s most recent pricing data.

Domestic scrap prices have fallen in June for all grades tracked by SMU, with prime scrap sinking $30 per gross ton (gt) from May, according to scrap sources.

Friedman Industries reported lower earnings in its fiscal fourth quarter, and the company expects first-quarter margins to be lower than Q4 margins due to declining HRC prices.

Olympic Steel is celebrating Executive Chairman Michael D. Siegal's 50th work anniversary and the company’s 70th year in business.

Sometimes, words can lead you in interesting directions. Specifically, crosswords. For the last six weeks we have been making steel-themed crosswords in the lead-up to SMU's Steel 101 course in Fort Wayne, Ind., which is taking place today and tomorrow. I’ve learned snippets of steel history and educated myself on the finer points of sponge iron.

The USMCA is an important trade agreement, as long as the member countries honor its requirements. These were the sentiments echoed by top officials of the Steel Manufacturers Association (SMA) and Metals Service Center Institute (MSCI) during a press conference at their annual meeting last week in Scottsdale, Ariz.