It’s simple. SMU wants to invite all of our readers to attend our 8th SMU Steel Summit Conference in Atlanta on Monday, Aug. 27 through Wednesday afternoon, Aug. 29. We expect there will be about 800 reasons for attending (expected attendance) along with an exceptional program, which continues to grow and mature. If you are […]
It’s simple. SMU wants to invite all of our readers and those that come to visit our website from time to time to attend our 8th SMU Steel Summit Conference in Atlanta on Monday, Aug. 27 through Wednesday afternoon, Aug. 29. We expect there will be about 800 reasons for attending (expected attendance) along with […]
On Monday, April 16 we will begin our mid-April flat rolled steel market trends analysis. Our goal is to be able to spot changes in pricing, demand, negotiations, sentiment and many other trends that ultimately affect steel prices in North America. If you receive an invitation to participate please answer the first question which will […]
As Steel Market Update analyzed the inventory data received from flat rolled steel distributors, we found the number of months of supply that steel service centers are carrying was lower at the end of March than what we reported at the end of February. With 96 percent of our data providers reporting, the number of […]
Much has been made of the downshift in automotive and its impact on steel demand, but “let me put you at ease about the market slowdown,” said auto analyst Bernard Swiecki with the Center for Automotive Research. Speaking at the Fabricators and Manufacturers Association annual meeting March 8 in Scottsdale, Ariz., Swiecki told the group the […]
Since the beginning of the New Year, manufacturing companies and steel service centers have been reporting service center spot pricing to their end customers as rising. Just a few weeks ago, 100 percent of the manufacturers responding to our mid-March flat rolled steel market trends questionnaire reported distributor prices as rising. Last week, Steel Market […]
Steel Market Update steel training workshops continue to be very popular. We are finding many companies sending their new people to our flagship Steel 101 workshop. This workshop is excellent for those new to the industry; however, it is not just for new employees. It is an excellent way to expand the knowledge base of […]
Our 8th SMU Steel Summit Conference registrations are quickly approaching 300 executives. With 136 days still to go, we are confident we will set another record attendance. Over the past two days we have received registrations from the following companies (those with a * next to their name means there is more than one person […]
Flat rolled steel prices appear to have hit a lull as prices have remained relatively range-bound compared to last week. Steel Market Update spent the past two days canvassing steel buyers at manufacturing companies, distributors, wholesalers and steel mills. We report on what steel buyers had to say to us in a separate article in […]
On Monday, April 9, trade attorney Lewis Leibowitz shared the following observations regarding Section 232, Section 301 and other trade-related issues with Steel Market Update. Here is what he had to say: Another eventful day in Washington. Stocks rallied today as fears of a trade war “eased,” at least in the minds of Wall Street […]
The U.S. Department of Commerce reported foreign steel import license data late this afternoon for the months of March and April 2018. They also reported final census data for February, which came in at 2,477,969 net tons. The March trend is imports were up 1 million tons above February at 3.5 million net tons. Through […]
The pace of flat rolled steel price expansion slowed this past week with hot rolled and cold rolled barely budging off the levels reported for the week ending March 30. Galvanized average pricing rose slightly (+$5) on SMU’s index to $1,106 per ton for .060” G90. Platts took their average up $33 per ton and […]
Registrations for the 2018 SMU Steel Summit continue to come in at a steady pace. It took us until May 9 last year to reach the number of registrations that we already have as of the beginning of this week. There are 110 companies registered and we still expect 300 companies and 800 executives to […]
Registrations for the 2018 SMU Steel Summit continue to come in at a steady pace. It took us until May 9 last year to reach the number of registrations that we already have as of the beginning of this week. There are 110 companies registered and we still expect 300 companies and 800 executives to […]
I’ve been asked my opinion as to which way steel prices will head from here. There seems to be a bit of a lull at the moment that one steel buyer attributed to the mills trying to stave off imports and not appear to be too greedy. Steel buyers are telling me that they will […]
The following report was originally published last week for our Premium level members. The SMU service center inventories months of supply index began in July 2017 and we continue to add flat rolled and plate steel distributors to our confidential data provider list. If you would like to be added to our data provider list […]
For those of you waiting for the PowerPoint presentation of our flat rolled steel market trends analysis, we should have it on the site either tomorrow afternoon (Monday) or on Tuesday. Brett has been on vacation and he is our master number cruncher. I want to thank Lewis Leibowitz for all of the help he […]
First, ferrous scrap prices are rising for delivery during the month of April. However, our sources are telling us that the increases are not at the $20-$30 per gross ton suggested a few days ago. The mills are playing hardball and the sense is that prices will drop in May, so dealers are taking what […]
Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Commerce released steel import license data for the months of February and March 2018. There is a considerable difference between the two months, which SMU believes is partially due to the March 23 deadline before Section 232 tariffs went into effect. February license data suggests the month will […]
We are in an unusual situation when it comes to evaluating “spot” pricing. Many active buyers are contract customers and there are very few “sophisticated” buyers actually in the spot market buying flat rolled steel. Plate buyers have told SMU that they are on allocation and there are very few “spot” purchases being made. One […]
Steel Market Update is pleased to announce the addition of Ron Insana, the highly respected commentator with TV news networks CNBC and MSNBC, as a keynote speaker. Insana will explore how the shifting domestic and global political environments could strain the economy, disrupt certain industries, and affect financial markets in the relatively near future. With […]
Steel Market Update is pleased to announce the addition of Ron Insana, the highly respected commentator with TV news networks CNBC and MSNBC, as a keynote speaker. Insana will explore how the shifting domestic and global political environments could strain the economy, disrupt certain industries, and affect financial markets in the relatively near future. With […]
Steel Market Update has been diligently working toward completing our SMU Steel Summit Conference agenda. We have been intentionally taking our time as we wait for market developments to mature and provide guidance as to what subjects will be the most pressing to the manufacturing companies, fabricators, steel distributors, steel mills, trading companies, toll processors […]
Steel Market Update has been diligently working toward completing our SMU Steel Summit Conference agenda. We have been intentionally taking our time as we wait for market developments to mature and provide guidance as to what subjects will be the most pressing to the manufacturing companies, fabricators, steel distributors, steel mills, trading companies, toll processors […]
All three of the steel indexes followed by Steel Market Update reported their average prices this past week. The lag of SteelBenchmarker pricing is very evident as they lagged well behind our index as well as that of Platts. Benchmark hot rolled prices averaged $870 per ton, according to SMU and Platts. SteelBenchmarker reported $825 […]
I am happy to announce CNBC analyst and commentator Ron Insana will be doing our closing keynote speech this year. Mr. Insana is well know for his analysis, business forecasts and work following politics, regulations and trade issues and how they will impact business in the United States. I believe our attendees will have a […]
In response to the Trump administration tariffs, South Korea was the first country to agree to a quota and to restrict the amount of steel they can export out of their country to the United States. Steel Market Update’s analysis below shows the potential for the quotas to have a big impact on specific market […]
I don’t know how to keep up with the changing winds associated with President Trump when it comes to trade, trade negotiations and the Section 232 tariffs (or threats of tariffs). According to Bloomberg, Trump said that he may delay the revamped trade agreement reached with South Korea that includes a quota and permanent exclusion […]
Flat rolled and plate steel prices moved higher over the past seven days. Steel buyers reported the domestic and Canadian steel mills as being “firm” with their price offers. Even so, steel buyers advised Steel Market Update that even with many mills allocating tonnage or, working on a controlled order entry basis, that they were […]
There are a lot of moving pieces to the Section 232 tariffs and the negotiations these tariffs have prompted among the countries that have not yet been excluded. Quotas are being discussed with most, if not all countries, with South Korea agreeing to 70 percent of their 2017 shipment levels. You should anticipate that other […]