Steel Market Update was contacted this week by an analyst who questioned the accuracy of the American Iron and Steel Institute data published by SMU. He wondered how AISI calculates its weekly mill capacity utilization rates and whether their calculations account for idled furnace capacity. A close look at the AISI data shows the domestic […]
Mill Steel Co., the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based flat rolled steel distributor, is among a growing list of companies that are sharing a portion of the coming tax windfall with their employees. Mill Steel has awarded a $1,000 bonus to all 400 of its full-time associates as a result of the tax cut passed by Congress […]
Expanded Technologies, Inc., Marietta, Ga., which specializes in the manufacture of light gage expanded metals, is among the growing number of American companies that is sharing the tax windfall with employees. “As a result of the Tax Cut and Job Act recently enacted by the Trump administration, we are pleased to announce that ETI will […]
The Fourth of July has always been my favorite holiday, so maybe that’s why experiencing a space launch up close evoked so many of the same strong emotions. I was at Cape Canaveral in Florida on Tuesday, sitting in the “Feel the Heat” section for the historic test flight of the Falcon Heavy rocket, the […]
Current and future sentiment among flat rolled steel buyers remains at or near record highs, according to the latest Steel Market Update Steel Buyers Sentiment Index. The index measures changes in buyers’ optimism levels, which offers insight into their likely decision-making. Three out of four respondents to SMU’s flat rolled market trends questionnaire this week […]
Mill lead times on flat roll continue to extend as buyers order steel ahead of further price increases. The latest data from Steel Market Update’s market trends questionnaire indicates that the average lead time for hot roll has now topped five weeks, while lead times for cold roll, galvanized and Galvalume are now approximately seven […]
Suppliers of hot roll and galvanized products are less willing to talk price than they were in mid-January, reported steel buyers, as the mills seek to collect their latest price increases. Cold roll negotiations are unchanged, and Galvalume talks may have loosened a bit. Overall, about 40 percent of respondents to Steel Market Update’s latest […]
Nearly 90 percent of the respondents to Steel Market Update’s latest market trends questionnaire say they see flat roll prices heading even higher. The other 10 percent are uncertain and see no clear-cut price direction right now. Will steel prices keep rising? Following are some of respondents’ comments: “Hot roll yes, cold roll a slight […]
Editor’s note: Richard Chriss, president of the American Institute for International Steel, which represents foreign steelmakers, offered this rebuttal to a recent letter to the editor in the New York Times by Scott Paul, president of the Alliance for American Manufacturing: There is no single word for the economic fallacy of assuming that those who […]
U.S. raw steel production for the week ending Feb. 3 totaled 1,747,000 net tons, a 0.2 percent decrease from the same period last year, but up 1.6 percent from the prior week. The mill capability utilization rate for the week averaged 75.0 percent, down from 73.8 percent the prior week, reports the American Iron and […]
As the steel industry continues to wait for President Trump’s decision on restricting steel imports on national security grounds, steel prices continue to rise. Has the market already factored in Section 232? In Steel Market Update’s latest market trends questionnaire, SMU asked steel buyers: Do you believe existing steel prices include a positive Section 232 […]
The steel industry stands to be a major beneficiary of the $1.5 trillion in infrastructure improvements proposed by President Trump in his State of the Union address on Tuesday, but don’t count on the extra government business anytime soon. Not unlike his plan to build a border wall paid for by Mexico rather than the […]
Recessions are considered by economists to be a necessary evil to clear out distortions that have arisen in the economy. At Steel Market Update, we track several leading indicators of economic activity. Viewed individually, they offer limited insight on economic expansion or contraction. Viewed collectively in this new report from SMU, they give our Premium […]
Inaction by the Trump administration leaves the market to wonder if the Section 232 investigation will lead to new tariffs or quotas this year on steel imports. Steel buyers contacted by Steel Market Update are concerned that additional restrictions on foreign imports may create a shortage and make steel prices even more volatile. Following are […]
Bank of America Merrill Lynch sees market conditions lining up for a strong first quarter with hot rolled coil prices that could even hit $800 per ton. “Even without Section 232 support, a weaker U.S. dollar, good demand, Chinese supply curtailments and recent trade case action can support prices well through the second half,” predicts […]
Driven by the need for intelligent connected devices in industrial and commercial applications, the number of connected Internet of Things (IoT) devices globally will grow to more than 31 billion in 2018, according to new analysis from business information provider IHS Markit. The commercial and industrial sector, powered by building automation, industrial automation and lighting, […]
Those who were hoping the State of the Union address would offer some indication of how President Trump will act on Section 232 were left disappointed. His speech was long on patriotism and short on specifics when it came to trade policy. The steel industry is left to speculate on whether the administration will further […]
Gerdau SA is divesting its Beaumont, Texas, wire rod mill and two downstream operations, Beaumont Wire Products and Carrollton Wire Products, to reduce its footprint in the U.S. long products market. Optimus Steel LLC will acquire the facilities for $92.5 million in a deal to close by the end of the year. The sale is […]
Brian D. Robbins, CEO of MidWest Materials, Inc. in Perry, Ohio, will be honored by the Association of Steel Distributors as its 2017 Steel Man of the Year during a special dinner celebration on Wednesday, March 7, at the ASD Spring Convention in Scottsdale, Ariz. MidWest Materials has had a long and rich history with […]
For those who were hoping President Trump’s State of the Union address last night might provide some clarity on U.S. trade policy, perhaps even a brief mention of NAFTA or Section 232, his remarks were a disappointment. The only time he mentioned “steel” was in describing “the steel in America’s spine” in overcoming the challenges […]
For those who were hoping President Trump’s State of the Union address last night might provide some clarity on U.S. trade policy, perhaps even a brief mention of NAFTA or Section 232, his remarks were a disappointment. The only time he mentioned “steel” was in describing “the steel in America’s spine” in overcoming the challenges […]
Responding to strong demand in the New Year and the market’s apparent acceptance of higher price tags, the major mills have announced another round of price increases on plate and flat rolled products. For most mills, this is the fourth increase they’ve announced in the past three months. On Monday, Nucor’s Plate Mill Group announced […]
U.S. raw steel production for the week ending Jan. 27 totaled 1,719,000 net tons, a 1.0 percent decrease from the same period last year, but up 1.5 percent from the prior week. The mill capability utilization rate for the week averaged 73.8 percent, down from 72.6 percent the prior week, reports the American Iron and […]
Nucor’s Plate Mill Group announced a $50 per ton price increase today, Jan. 29, on all new orders for carbon, alloy and heat-treated plate, effective immediately on all unconfirmed orders. This latest increase follows three earlier announcements by Nucor ranging from $30 to $50 per ton on plate since mid-November. {loadposition reserved_message}
NLMK USA notified customers today, Jan. 29, that it was increasing base prices on all products by $30 per ton, effective immediately, due to continued strong order placement. NLMK produces hot rolled, hot rolled pickled and oiled, cold rolled and galvanized products. This is the fourth price increase announced by NLMK in the last three […]
SSAB Americas notified customers today, Jan. 29, that it is increasing transaction prices on steel plate products by a minimum of $50 per ton, effective immediately on all new noncontract orders. The increase will apply to As-Rolled Mill Plate, Cut-To-Length Plate >72”, Hot Rolled Coils >72”, as well as Normalized and Quenched & Tempered Plate. […]
AK Steel announced today that it will increase current spot market base prices for all carbon flat-rolled steel products by a minimum of $30 per ton, effective immediately with new orders. This latest price hike follows a $40 increase announced by the steelmaker in early January. AK Steel is a producer of flat-rolled carbon, stainless […]
The Nucor Sheet Mill Group informed customers on Friday of this past week, that it is raising base prices on new orders by a minimum of $30 per ton on hot rolled, cold rolled and galvanized products. Nucor’s latest hike follows a $40 per ton increase the steelmaker announced on flat rolled spot prices early […]
As plugged into Washington as they may be, the leadership of the Steel Manufacturers Association is in the dark on Section 232, just like everyone else. Queried by reporters last week during SMA’s board meeting in Florida, the trade group’s officers could offer no inside information on what to expect from President Trump as he […]
The Nucor Sheet Mill Group informed customers today, Friday, that it is raising base prices on new orders by a minimum of $30 per ton on hot rolled, cold rolled and galvanized products. Nucor’s latest hike follows a $40 per ton increase the steelmaker announced on flat rolled spot prices early this month. On Thursday, […]