It is clearly in the crosshairs. What we are referring to is the record for attendance at a SMU Steel Summit Conference. We set the record in 2017 with 667 registrations and 650 attendees (17 were unable to come due to Houston hurricane). Registrations just broke through the 600-person barrier and with 78 days to […]
With 77 days still to go, it is clearly in the crosshairs. What we are referring to is the record for attendance at a SMU Steel Summit Conference. We set the record in 2017 with 667 registrations and 650 attendees (17 were unable to come due to Houston hurricane). Registrations just broke through the 600-person […]
I am finally home long enough to gather my thoughts and hopefully get back to providing some insights into the flat rolled, plate and scrap markets from my perspective. There is obviously a lot of uncertainty connected to the Section 232 tariffs in both steel and aluminum. The Trump administration appears to have an intense […]
I have just returned from three days in Memphis where we conducted our Steel 101: Introduction to Steel Making & Market Fundamentals workshop. We had a packed house of motivated steel people from a wide variety of companies. Nucor Hickman and Nucor-Yamato did a great job of hosting our group as we toured both steel […]
This is not a “kiss and tell story” but rather an explanation of why I, John Packard, founder and owner of Steel Market Update, decided to sell my business to the CRU Group. CRU, known globally for its news, analysis and pricing information, was not the only suitor interested in SMU, but they were the […]
This is not a “kiss and tell story” but rather an explanation of why I, John Packard, founder and former owner of Steel Market Update, decided to sell my business to the CRU Group. CRU, known globally for its news, analysis and pricing information, was not the only suitor interested in SMU, but they were […]
CRU Group, the global leader in steel analysis, prices and consulting, has acquired the highly successful U.S.-based Steel Market Update (SMU) conference, training and newsletter business. The SMU Steel Summit, which takes place Aug. 27-29 in Atlanta, is the premier steel conference in North America while the SMU Newsletter is an industry leader, providing independent […]
It has been an incredibly long day as we went on two mill tours and taught a Steel 101 classroom session. As I write my final thoughts for this evening, we are on our way back to Memphis where we will muster our strength and head out to our Steel 101/Nucor cocktail party and dinner […]
The Trump administration’s announcement today that it would not spare its closest trading partners from the 25 percent tariff on steel imports surprised many in the market. Effective at midnight, steel from Canada, Mexico and the EU countries will be subject to the same penalty as exports from China and other so-called “bad actors.” Steel […]
Demand remains strong in the HVAC sector despite the high steel prices, but distributors share an uncomfortable feeling that the favorable conditions may not last. “Business is good, and prices are high, but they are going to fall. When is anyone’s guess. You just have to try to protect yourself and have the least amount […]
Today, we thought we would get the final determination of the Vietnam/China circumvention complaint. Steel Market Update has been in constant contact on this subject with trade attorney Lewis Leibowitz who advised us yesterday evening, “DOC announced today that the final Vietnam circumvention determination will be May 9, extended from May 2. The determination will […]
Another hectic week in the flat rolled and plate steel markets. Buyers and sellers of steel are all waiting to see what calamity awaits when the clock ticks 12:01 AM on May 1. That is when the Section 232 country exclusions are set to expire, according to the deadline set by President Trump. What he […]
Steel Market Update’s 8th Steel Summit Conference will be held at the Georgia International Convention Center on Monday, Aug. 27, through Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018. We’ve been watching the markets very carefully as we put together our final agenda and have worked hard to select the best speakers possible. On Friday, we added AK Steel […]
Steel Market Update’s 8th Steel Summit Conference will be held at the Georgia International Convention Center on Monday, Aug. 27, through Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018. We’ve been watching the markets very carefully as we put together our final agenda and have worked hard to select the best speakers possible. On Friday, we added AK Steel […]
The following article on the hot rolled coil (HRC) futures market was written by David Feldstein. As the Flack Global Metals Director of Risk Management, Dave is an active participant in the hot rolled futures market, and we believe he provides insightful commentary and trading ideas to our readers. Besides writing futures articles for Steel […]
Most service centers are raising spot prices to their end customers following President Trump’s announcement that he plans to impose a 25 percent tariff on steel imports this week. But some are taking a more wait-and-see approach to spot business. Following are some insightful comments from the marketplace: • “Absolutely we’re raising prices!” • “Inventory […]
President Trump’s announcement today of his intention to impose a 25 percent tariff on steel imports puts the steel industry on course for historic change. Historically good or historically bad, or perhaps some of both, depends on the individual’s perspective. Following are some of the reactions Steel Market Update received from readers, whose names were […]
The SMU Steel Summit Conference is THE fastest growing steel conference in North America and THE one conference manufacturing, distribution, suppliers to the industry and steel mills want to attend. Details about the agenda, speakers, location and costs, as well as how to register, can be found on our website: www.SteelMarketUpdate.com/Events/Steel-Summit or you can contact […]
Steel buyers recognize that flat rolled prices are moving higher and momentum is clearly on the side of the steel mills. Hot rolled price offers, which Steel Market Update identified earlier this week as being $650 to $710, have moved higher based on information gleaned from steel buyers today. The new spread is $680 to […]
Did your business exceed its goals for 2017? If so, you are among the top one-third (32 percent) of companies responding to Steel Market Update’s latest flat roll market trends questionnaire. Last year was clearly a good one for most steel suppliers and buyers as another 46 percent reported meeting their business expectations despite the […]
Current and future sentiment among flat rolled steel buyers remains high as the New Year begins, much the same as at this time last year, according to the Steel Market Update Steel Buyers Sentiment Index. The SMU Steel Buyers Sentiment Index measures changes in buyers’ optimism levels, which offers insight into their likely decision-making. Three […]
Steel Market Update recently adjusted our Price Momentum Indicator to “Higher” as, in our opinion, steel buyers should anticipate flat rolled steel prices to move up over the next 30 to 60 days. During last week’s analysis of the flat rolled steel market, 78 percent of the respondents agreed with SMU, sensing that pricing momentum […]
Keith Gunter, Vice President of Purchasing at McElroy Metal (and a part-time poet) shares his annual special holiday retrospective on the past year and his wishes for a prosperous 2018 for all. T’was soon to be Christmas, when all through the land, Pricing ought to be stable, wouldn’t that be so grand. During the fourth […]
Steel Market Update (SMU) found steel buyers receptive to speaking their minds on how various steel mills are responding to the price increase announcements made last week. It appears mills with shorter lead times are perhaps a little more receptive to waiving part or all of the increases. Other mills have better order books and […]
The following article on the hot rolled coil (HRC) steel and financial futures markets was written by Jack Marshall of Crunch Risk LLC. Here is how Jack saw trading over the past week: Steel It has been a very active trading week in HR futures along all portions of the curve as over 83,000 ST […]
Our SMU team has been pretty lucky as those of us who live in Florida did not suffer significant damage to our homes. The Florida residents ended up escaping and being essentially unaffected by Hurricane Irma. However, Brett lives in Georgia and he lost power yesterday as a large tree took out the power line […]
China domestic demand is driving a tandem rise in iron ore and steel pricing. Iron ore prices are at their highest level since April as Chinese steel producers gobble ore to take advantage of high margins and surging summer steel prices. Although China is ahead of its target for reducing steel capacity this year, Chinese […]
USS-POSCO Industries (UPI) has promoted MD. Amin to Vice-President of UPI’s Commercial Group. Amin will lead the company’s sales and marketing activities. “MD. is an exceptional sales leader with a long track record of success, and he is respected by colleagues and customers alike,” said Michael Piekut, UPI’s President. “I cannot think of a better […]
USS-POSCO Industries (UPI) has promoted MD. Amin to Vice-President of UPI’s Commercial Group. Amin will lead the company’s sales and marketing activities. “MD. is an exceptional sales leader with a long track record of success, and he is respected by colleagues and customers alike,” said Michael Piekut, UPI’s President. “I cannot think of a better […]
John Packard, Publisher, Steel Market Update Today I spent a good portion of my time wandering around the United States and Canada soliciting information about flat rolled steel pricing, lead times, Section 232 and anything else steel buyers wanted to talk about. I thought the quote of the day was from a manufacturing company who […]