Steel industry lobbying groups and trade unions cheered passage of the bipartisan House $1 trillion infrastructure bill – which experts estimate could result in millions of tons of new steel demand. The legislation devotes approximately $850 billion to steel-intensive infrastructure, according to estimates from the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI). The House vote, which occurred late […]
October saw a major improvement for the U.S. labor market and a sign of optimism as the latest coronavirus surge eases. The latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that the economy created a noteworthy 531,000 new jobs in October following disappointing monthly results in August and September. October’s results included nearly 100,000 […]
U.S. job creation roared back in October as payrolls rose by 531,000, a welcome contrast to the weak outcome the month prior. The mark was unexpected, as total jobs exceeded most estimates by nearly 100,000 and the unemployment rate fell to 4.6%, the Labor Department reported. Private payrolls were even stronger, rising 604,000 as a loss […]
By Greg Wittbecker, Advisor, CRU Group Since I spoke at the Fall Management Meeting, the market has continued to experience tremendous volatility and new variables to consider. CRU has recently updated its expectation for market balances, premiums and LME prices. These forecasts can be seen in detail through our Aluminum Market Outlook subscription. Here are […]
Canada’s Russel Metals reported “an exceptionally strong third quarter built on the back of a really strong Q2.” Company executives on Friday’s earnings call pointed to the various moves the company has made in the past two years to position it to take advantage of the prevailing market conditions. Most recent was this week’s announcement […]
United Steelworkers (USW) members at ArcelorMittal’s tube plant in Shelby, Ohio, have been on strike since midnight on Sunday, according to local media reports. That’s when a four-year labor contract between the Luxembourg-based steelmaker and USW Local 3057 expired. Sticking points in contract talks include time off over holidays as well as pension and health […]
The management team at Ryerson reported solid third-quarter results on Thursday and expressed optimism about underlying demand in the fourth quarter and into next year. “The pricing environment is still healthy and strong underpinned by good demand – demand deferred, not denied – and we see that continuing into 2022,” Ryerson President and CEO Eddie […]
JSW Steel (USA) Inc. has launched the second phase of a $260 million project aimed at refurbishing its plate mill in Baytown, Texas. The upgrades will allow the Baytown mill to better compete in on- and offshore wind tower, agriculture, construction and storage tank markets as well as in other sectors for which surface finish […]
The U.S. construction sector slipped in September as spending faded for the second consecutive month following a downward revision in August’s results, the Commerce Department reported. The Census Bureau’s report on construction spending shows that the value of residential construction put in place in September was up 19% year on year but fell 0.4% month […]
As expected, steel prices are volatile and unpredictable as the market approaches year-end. Hot rolled continued its slow, gradual descent averaging $1,875 per ton this week, down another $10, based on Steel Market Update’s survey data gathered on Monday and Tuesday. Cold rolled and coated products, on the other hand, saw small increases to around […]
Ternium reported net earnings of $1.37 billion in the third quarter of 2021, up from $1.16 billion in the the prior quarter and following a loss of $21 million in the third quarter of 2020. The gains resulted from higher steel prices and strong global demand. Shipments were 3.1 million tons in the third quarter, largely unchanged […]
Speaking at a steel industry gathering just two days after unveiling the historic trade deal she helped negotiate with the European Union, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai described the progress made in steel trade and the challenges that still lie ahead in curbing global steel overcapacity. Following are her remarks today at the General Meeting […]
October saw a gradual decline in steel prices for the second consecutive month, following one full year of continuous price increases. Hot rolled steel prices decreased $45 per ton throughout the month, with the SMU index averaging $1,885 per ton ($94.25 per cwt) as of Tuesday, Oct. 26. The SMU Price Momentum Indicator for hot […]
By CRU Senior Analyst Ryan McKinley from CRU’s Steel Sheet Products Monitor Falling demand in most markets around the world has continued to weigh on steel sheet prices. Meanwhile, the announcement that the USA will remove Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum producers in the EU and replace them with a quota system means […]
Total construction spending declined in September for the first time since February, as both residential and nonresidential construction slipped, according to a new analysis of federal construction spending data by the Associated General Contractors of America. AGC continues to lobby for the House to complete work on the bipartisan infrastructure bill that the Senate passed […]
The deal just announced between the U.S. and EU to replace the Section 232 tariffs with a tariff rate quota and to cooperate in reducing climate-changing carbon emissions was seen as a breakthrough by many – but not all. Trade groups representing steel consumers and producers from other parts of the world expressed “disappointment” that the […]
We’re all on the same price roller coaster, and that’s true whether we’re talking steel, plastic or wood. But we’re not all on the same car – and so your impression of the market might be vastly different if you’re in the front car instead of the back one. That’s the impression I got while speaking […]
With record third-quarter earnings of $2 billion in the bank, U.S. Steel President and CEO David Burritt offered a bullish outlook for the steel industry and his company in 2022. Highlights of the company’s earnings call on Friday included an update on the steelmaker’s progress in finding a site for its new electric arc furnace […]
Gibraltar Industries Inc. reported net income of $27.9 million in its third quarter, down nearly 11.0% from the same period last year due to rising labor costs and supply-chain shortages, company executives said. The Buffalo, N.Y.-based manufacturer and distributor of building products reported a 24.5% increase in revenue to $369.4 million during the period. Sales […]
This year’s third quarter was the best quarter on record for Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co., the nation’s largest service center organization. Reliance reported gross profit of $1.21 billion on sales of $3.85 billion in Q3. “Our resilient business model, favorable metal pricing trends and excellent execution combined to produce another quarter of record-setting financial […]
Evraz steel sales dropped in the third quarter as a strong showing from its North American operations only partially offset weaker demand as well as logistics and maintenance issues in Russia. The sales drop in Russia resulted in part from a slowdown in the local construction market. It also stemmed from bad weather and difficulty […]
Distributors who sell galvanized steel products to the construction and HVAC sectors report a slight softening in demand at the same time that competition is firming up and prices are looking down. Market conditions overall are still favorable, reported members of the Heating, Air-Conditioning & Refrigeration Distributors International during HARDI’s monthly conference call today, but […]
In this year’s edition of CRU Breakfast – part of LME Week – we explored three key themes that shaped the commodities markets – the global economic and commodities outlook, the changing role of China, and Navigating ESG. All three themes have been central to many developments in the industry and remain equally crucial moving […]
The impact of the pandemic on the domestic construction sector cannot be overstated, as more than two-thirds of U.S. states have struggled to add jobs since the onset of the global health crisis. Only 14 states and the District of Columbia have increased construction jobs since February 2020, reports the Associated General Contractors of America […]
Demand for design services from architecture firms in the U.S. improved for the eighth consecutive month, according to the latest report from The American Institute of Architects (AIA). AIA’s Architecture Billings Index rose from 55.6 in August to 56.6 in September. The ABI has expanded each month since January. The index for new project inquiries […]
Steel Warehouse has withstood the test of the past year, but “it’s a pass-fail course and the assignments are always changing,” said Mike Lerman, president of the South Bend, Ind.-based service center. Lerman was the guest speaker for Wednesday’s Steel Market Update Community Chat. Steel Warehouse was founded by Lerman’s father, Nathan, in 1947 “with […]
Algoma Steel shares began trading on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) on Wednesday under the ticker symbol “ASTL.” The development follows an initial public offering (IPO) made possible by a merger between the Canadian flat-rolled steelmaker and New York-based Legato, a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC). The deal resulted in […]
The U.S. economy expanded at a modest to moderate rate from late August to early October, said the Federal Reserve in its latest Beige Book report. Overall growth was curbed, though, due to supply chain disruptions, labor shortages and uncertainty around the surging Delta variant. Consumers spent more dollars in travel and tourism activity once again, […]
Strong consumer demand helped push builder confidence higher in October despite growing affordability challenges stemming from rising material prices and shortages. Builder sentiment in the market for newly built single-family homes moved four points higher to 80 in October, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index. Despite the increase, […]
Steel Dynamics’ President and CEO Mark Millett expects “transformational change” from SDI’s new electric arc furnace mill nearing completion in Sinton, Texas. “We are not simply adding flat rolled steel production capacity. We have a differentiated product offering, a unique regional supply chain solution, a significant geographic lead time advantage and offer a sustainable alternative […]