This past week the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a memorandum with details of the Buy America rules that apply to infrastructure projects governed by the infrastructure bill passed last year (the “Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act,” or “IIJA”). This week, I detail some of the changes and their impact on the number […]
Demand for design services from architecture firms in the US expanded sharply in March, following a more modest increase over the previous three months. The gain marked the 14th consecutive month of growth following the pandemic-induced downturn in 2020. March’s AIA’s Architecture Billings Index registered 58.0, according to the latest report from the American Institute […]
Today we are sharing the full proposed agenda for the 2022 SMU Steel Summit Conference. As you will note there are a few programs where we are in negotiations with speakers or working on making sure the program is fresh for those who have attended our conference in the past. There are several themes we […]
Nucor expects to complete the $650 million expansion and upgrade of its Gallatin sheet mill in Ghent, Ky., in June, company executives said. And the Charlotte, N.C.-based steelmaker’s new $1.35 billion plate mill in Brandenburg, Ky. – slated to have annual capacity of 1.2 million tons – remains on track to start up late in […]
Housing starts declined in March, driven by rising mortgage interest rates and ongoing supply chain bottlenecks that continue to delay construction projects and raise home building costs. Though the single-family housing market showed signs of softening last month, strong multifamily production pushed overall housing starts up 0.3% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.79 […]
Steel Dynamics Inc. (SDI) posted better-than-expected results for the first quarter of 2022. Earnings surpassed the consensus estimate by 8.1% while sales exceeded expectations by 5.5% to start the year, according to data from Zacks. The Fort Wayne, Ind.-based steelmaker’s strong results came thanks to record steel shipments and increased production. The company said it […]
Builder confidence fell in April as strong headwinds continue to erode housing affordability and delay projects, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI). Homebuilder sentiment fell for the fourth straight month, as rapidly rising interest rates combined with ongoing home price increases and higher construction costs continue to take […]
Today we are sharing the full proposed agenda for the 2022 SMU Steel Summit Conference. As you will note there are a few programs where we are in negotiations with speakers or working on making sure the program is fresh for those who have attended our conference in the past. There are several themes we […]
Contrary to the support echoed from domestic iron and steel organizations, the new ‘Buy America’ mandates introduced by the White House have drawn strong criticism from the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC). The association suggests that such measures laid out under the guidance will undermine the nation’s ability to build and improve infrastructure. “AGC […]
Construction employment exceeded pre-pandemic levels in just 32 states in March, as record-high job openings held back hiring, said the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) in its latest analysis of federal employment data. “Contractors have been adding workers as fast as they can find them,” said Ken Simonson, AGC’s chief economist. “But there just […]
I shouldn’t say put a fork in this market and call it done. It’s probably too early for that. But some of the anecdotal indicators I mentioned last week are increasingly showing up in the data we and others collect. Take a look at today’s issue: Lead times are still rising, for the most part. […]
Steel Market Update has been working on the agenda for the 2022 SMU Steel Summit Conference, which will be held in Atlanta on August 22-24. This year’s conference will address many of the issues affecting the flat-rolled and plate steel markets. Over the next few issues, we will roll out our conference program, the confirmed […]
Steel Market Update has been working on the agenda for the 2022 SMU Steel Summit Conference, which will be held in Atlanta on August 22-24. This year’s conference will address many of the issues affecting the flat-rolled and plate steel markets. Over the next few issues, we will roll out our conference program, the confirmed […]
By Greg Wittbecker, Advisor, CRU Group It is natural to speculate about how well demand for aluminum can hold up given the effects of dramatically higher prices, both on aluminum itself and the broader economy. Conversations with many of our clients’ center on concerns about demand destruction. The logic is simple: With gasoline, food and interest […]
The prices contractors pay for construction materials and services – chiefly for new nonresidential construction – jumped by more than 21% in March versus the same year-ago period, reports the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) in its latest analysis of government data. The association has called for relief from tariffs, urging the Biden administration […]
Shipbuilder Austal USA has officially opened its new steel manufacturing line to build steel ships for the US Navy and Coast Guard. The ultra-modern steel shipbuilding facility in Mobile, Ala., enables the simultaneous production of both aluminium and steel hulled ships, the company said. Known for its construction of aluminum vessels, the shipbuilder’s new 118-throusand-square-foot […]
Voestalpine is in advanced talks to sell a majority stake in its hot-briquetted iron (HBI) plant in southern Texas, the company said. “In recent months, Voestalpine has been conducting an open-ended market sounding to stabilize the business model of its direct reduction plant in Corpus Christi, Texas.” The Austrian specialty steelmaker didn’t disclose a potential […]
BlueScope plans to buy Coil Coatings from Cornerstone Building Brands for $500 million to expand its presence in painted products in the eastern US. The Australian steelmaker – parent company of sheet producer North Star BlueScope in Delta, Ohio – said the deal would complement its existing coated products business on the West Coast. The […]
Steel Market Update is pleased to share this Premium content with Executive members. For information on upgrading to a Premium-level subscription, email Info@SteelMarketUpdate.com. US construction spending in February totaled $1.704 trillion at a seasonally adjusted annual rate, rising less than expected as an increase in outlays on private projects was partially offset by a decline […]
Construction employment exceeded pre-pandemic levels in nearly 60% of US metro areas through February, according Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) figures. AGC also said it is getting harder to find workers and urged officials to invest more in career training and education programs for the construction sector. “The rebound in construction employment in most […]
My car was sideswiped recently – a parked car is hard to avoid, apparently – and I thought a silver lining might be that I could do my little part to keep North America’s scrap reservoir full. A quarter panel, maybe even a door. Instead, I am still driving around in that scrap (and probably […]
Nucor plans to build its $350 million rebar “micro mill” in Lexington, N.C., in response to growth in the Southeast and in anticipation of increased demand from federal infrastructure spending. The new mill is expected to have capacity of 430,00 tons per year. Construction is slated to take roughly two years pending permits and other […]
The US construction sector added 19,000 new workers to payrolls in March, while spending on construction projects rose for the 12th straight month through February, reports the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) in its latest analysis of government data. Despite repeated gains, the AGC urged US trade officials to end tariffs on key materials […]
The Dodge Momentum Index moved 4% higher in March, maintaining the growth seen the month prior, according to data and analytics from the Dodge Construction Network. The index registered 166.9 last month, up from February’s revised reading of 160.3. In March, planning for commercial projects drove the index’s overall reading upward, expanding by 7% while […]
Schnitzer Steel Industries Inc. posted its best first half results in company history following a strong second quarter earnings. The result comes 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 $38 million in the second quarter of […]
By CRU Principal Economist Alex Tuckett, from CRU’s Global Economic Outlook The invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces has continued to rock commodity and financial markets. We expect the fallout from the invasion to reduce world growth this year and next, through three main channels: Energy prices. Russia is a major producer and exporter of […]
The US labor market expanded at a strong pace in March, adding 431,000 new jobs and bringing the unemployment rate to a new, pandemic-era low of 3.6%, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. Though payroll gains were lower than economists had expected, they still rounded up a strong first quarter for the US labor market […]
By CRU Principal Analyst Erik Hedborg, from CRU’s Steelmaking Raw Materials Monitor, April 5. Iron ore has risen again in the past week as lockdowns in China have fuelled hopes of new stimulus measures, resulting in an overall bullish sentiment last week, ahead of the Chinese Qingming holiday (Sunday–Tuesday). Iron ore has now returned to […]
Steel prices rose each week in March, and the increases were the first in six months. Hot rolled prices were down to $1,000 per ton ($50 per cwt) the first week of March, the lowest level seen since December 2020. Prices then surged $435 per ton throughout the month, with the SMU index averaging $1,435 per ton […]
I decided to take a break from prices and survey data today to check in with a few trusted mill and service center executives. Each had their own take on the market. But there were a couple of common threads. First, the war in Ukraine is still driving the steel and metals markets – even […]