On Wednesday, Steel Market Update adjusted our SMU Price Momentum Indicator to Neutral from Higher. Our Price Momentum Indicator had been pointing toward Higher prices ever since March 25, 2014. Over the past seven weeks, hot rolled coil prices advanced from $630 to a high of $685 per ton based on the Steel Market Update […]
Both Industrial Production (IP) and Manufacturing Capacity Utilization are reported in the Federal Reserve G17 data base. The IP index was reported as 102.744 for April, with a three month moving average (3MMA) of 102.83. This was the fifth consecutive month for the index to exceed the pre-recession peak of September 2007. The 3MMA has […]
Shipments of heating and cooling equipment, a benchmark for residential construction as well as the home improvement segments of the industry, have made significant improvements in the shipping rates compared to the same month one year ago. Below is the press release from the The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute on heating and cooling equipment […]
ThyssenKrupp posted a positive net income for the first time in seven quarters. After aggressively shedding businesses and employees during the fiscal year, including the sale of the Alabama Calvert plant, ThyssenKrupp appears to have achieved a turnaround. The company hopes to break even for the 2013/2014 fiscal year and expects sales for the year […]
ArcelorMittal losses narrowed in the first quarter of 2014. The company posted a net loss of $200 million in the first quarter compared to $345 million in Q1 2013. First quarter EBITDA was $1.75 billion, an increase of 23 percent from Q1 2013. Sales of $19.8 billion were below Q4 and almost par with Q1 […]
Building permit values in Canada decreased for the second consecutive month, falling 3 percent in March after an 11.3 percent decrease in February. Value of building permits totaled $6 billion. The decrease in building permit values surprised economists at Royal Bank of Canada who expected a 4 percent rebound in March. A plunge in non-residential sector permits […]
The April 2014 Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey on Bank Lending Practices addressed changes in the standards and terms on, and demand for, bank loans to businesses and households over the past three months. This summary is based on the responses from 74 domestic banks and 23 U.S. branches and agencies of foreign banks. The […]
Buyers and sellers of steel continue to grow in their belief that their company will be successful in both the existing market as well as out into the future. A new record high for our Index was achieved this week as our Steel Market Update (SMU) Steel Buyers Sentiment Index was measured at +59. This […]
ArcelorMittal’s Canadian iron ore project may begin production as early as third quarter 2014. Last week the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development gave final approval for Baffinland Iron Mines, a 50/50 venture between ArcelorMittal and Nunavut Iron Ore, to commence operations. The mine is located in the Qikiqtani region of Nunavit, over 300 […]
Truck transportation, the price and availability of it, has been a concern of the steel industry of late, especially after the delays that occurred during the unusually severe winter season. To determine what is affecting truck shipping, we looked at the issues currently facing the truck transportation industry. Hours of service is the issue ranked […]
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) report on non-farm employment wildly exceeded expectations in April with a net gain of 288,000 jobs. The February and March total was revised upward by 36,000. The three month moving average (3MMA) rose from 150,000 in February, to 190,000 in March and to 238,000 in April (Figure 1). The […]
Allied Tube & Conduit and members of USW Local 9777 reached an agreement on a new contract on Sunday, ending a week-long strike. The contract for USW Local 9777 expired in April 2013 and the company and union officials have been in negotiations for the past year. A compromise over the weekend led to contract […]
April turned out to be a month where supply disruptions squeezed the life out of non-repentant steel buyers: flat rolled steel buyers who had run their inventories too lean or who hesitated when U.S. Steel Great Lakes went down, only to be ambushed by steelmaking curtailments at USS Gary Works (and elsewhere) due to iron […]
Gibraltar Industries, a leading manufacturer and distributor of building products, reported a net loss of $1.7 million for first quarter 201. Net sales of $191.0 slipped from $196.8 million in first quarter 2013 due to severe winter conditions. “Although Gibraltar’s first-quarter sales were lower than expected due to the prolonged winter season in most parts […]
The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) released their first estimate of real GDP today, (April 30th) for Q1 2014. GDP rose in the fourth quarter by 2.6 percent but declined to 0.1 percent in the first estimate for Q1 2014. Figure 1 shows quarterly results since 1990 with the IMF forecast through 2018. The Q1 […]
Each month the Commerce Department issues its construction put in place (CPIP) data on the first working day covering activity two months earlier. March data was released on May 1st. Total Construction March expenditures were $69.142 billion which breaks down to $51.210 B of private work, $16.064 B state and locally financed and $1.868 B […]
Economic data released in April indicated signs of slower growth in the economy. Survey participants, however, continue to be optimistic about business activity during the next three to six months. The Architecture Billings Index fell to 48.8 in April, indicating contraction after hovering just above the neutral point for the last two months. The protracted […]
April is now behind us and it proved to be one interesting month. In looking at the key data we follow on a monthly basis for our readers, SMU Price Momentum Indicator ended the month where it began pointing to higher prices over the near term. SMU Steel Buyers Sentiment Index ended the month at […]
April was a month of disappointing economic indicators. The Architecture Billings Index turned negative this month after climbing up from a reading of 48.6 in December. The March reading was just 48.8, down from 50.7 in February and 50.4 in January. The American Institute of Architects Architecture Billings Index, an indicator of future construction activity, […]
Will 2014 be a breakthrough year for construction? That was the premise of a webinar presented by Reed Construction Data paneled by Bernie Markstein, US chief economist at Reed Construction Data; Kermit Baker, chief economist at the American Institute of Architects (AIA); and Ken Simonson, chief economist at Associated General Contractors of America (AGC). The […]
The following article published April 13, is one that we would normally just provide to our Premium Level members. We thought that those who have Executive level and Monthly membership would be interested in some of the detail we are providing our Premium Level members. If you have questions about Premium Level membership please feel […]
From the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC): Total construction spending remained in a holding pattern in March as strong gains in apartment construction and modest growth in home building and private nonresidential activity offset falling public outlays, according to an analysis of new Census Bureau data by the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC). […]
Castrip has advised Steel Market Update that a new flat rolled mill using Castrip technology will be built in North America by an EAF mill other than Nucor. Castrip LLC has signed a license agreement to build and operate a plant utilizing a Castrip thin-strip casting process for an unnamed North American steelmaker. The facility […]
This story was one of the popular points of discussion at the recent Metals Industry Dinner held in Chicago on May 1, 2014. Castrip has advised Steel Market Update that a new flat rolled mill using Castrip technology will be built in North America by an EAF mill other than Nucor. Castrip LLC has signed […]
Home prices are continuing to rise but at a slower pace according to the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Prices Indices. The S&P Dow Jones Indices are released monthly and compare annual rate gain for the 10-City and 20-City Composites. The current indice, released at the end of April, shows the rate of gain in February at 13.1 […]
Mill Steel Co, a flat rolled steel service center company in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is investing $16.2 million in the purchase, opening and expansion of operations in Jeffersonville, Indiana, at the Port of Indiana-Jeffersonville. The existing 105,000 square foot facility will be expanded to 225,000 square feet and will house two state-of-the-art slitting lines in […]
One of the products which is provided to our Premium Level members only is our Key Market Indicators. Our KMI analysis is showing an improving (more positives than negatives) situation, especially in the flat rolled steel markets. An explanation of the Key Indicators concept is given at the end of this piece for those readers […]
The following is an abridged version of the Chicago Federal Reserve statement plus our own graphical analysis. The Chicago Federal Reserve National Activity Index (CFNAI) is an excellent reality check for much of the economic analysis that we routinely provide in The Steel Market Update. An explanation of the index is provided at the end […]
SSAB Americas felt the effects of the winter freeze in the first quarter of 2014. Sales for the Americas segment were SEK 3,685 million ($559 million), down 2 percent from fourth quarter 2013 but 7 percent higher than Q1 2013. Higher prices and a favorable product mix were offset by lower volumes. External steel shipments […]
SMU has been hearing anecdotal reports about difficulties with finding truck transport as companies try to catch up on winter weather delayed orders. The MID-SHIP Report has been reporting for months that truck availability is at a premium, mostly due to a shortage of drivers. Comments we have been hearing range from product sitting on […]