Tag: demand

SMU’s Current Steel Buyers Sentiment Index jumped this week, while the Future Sentiment Index remained flat, according to our most recent survey data.

Much discussion has centered on HRC futures and option liquidity. The perceived lack of liquidity is often used as a reason for not engaging in risk management, a profound folly in our opinion. Looking back over the last decade, the futures market has seen increased volume. The HRC futures volume in 2023 was 617% of 2013 numbers.

What are people in the steel marketplace talking about this week?

Domestic buyers of steel sheet said mills were much more willing to negotiate spot pricing this week, according to our most recent survey data.

Domestic scrap prices ended up down slightly after a roller coaster of trading in January, scrap sources told SMU.

Coming out of a strong fourth quarter, galvanized steel market participants are reporting an above-average start to January and are cautiously optimistic for 2024.

US service center flat-rolled steel inventories surged in December with the seasonal slowdown in shipments. At the end of December, service centers carried 64.8 shipping days of supply, according to adjusted SMU data, up from 54 days in November.

Active rigs in the US dipped slightly this week, while Canada's count increased for the second consecutive week, according to Baker Hughes.

After a holiday period that saw HR futures volumes somewhat muted in December, the first week of January brought with it increased interest reflected in higher volumes.

SMU polled steel buyers on a variety of subjects this past week, including inventory, demand, steel sheet prices, imports, and what people are talking about in today’s marketplace. Rather than summarizing the comments we received, we are sharing some of them in each buyer’s own words. We’d like to hear your thoughts, too! Contact david@steelmarketupdate.com to be […]

Pig iron prices rose month over month (MoM) in all major regions aside from Europe on improved buying. Demand in the US remains robust while market participants report that availability of Brazilian material increased after tightening a month prior. Meanwhile, Ukrainian export capacity increased due to greater access to temporary sea corridors.

Steel prices continued to move higher last month on the back of repeated mill price increases after tags reached a 2023 low of $645 per ton in late September. Hot-rolled coil (HRC) prices ended December at an average of $1,035 per ton ($51.75 per cwt), rising by $112 per ton during the month.

Commercial Metals Co. saw robust demand from the construction markets in its first fiscal quarter, which ended on Nov. 30, 2023.

The International Trade Commission (ITC) held a hearing on Thursday, Jan. 4, to consider arguments for and against the imposition of antidumping and countervailing duties (AD/CVDs) on tin mill products from a handful of countries. Both sides made compelling arguments.

Active domestic rotary rigs dipped slightly this week, but Canada's firms increased their count significantly, according to Baker Hughes.

SMU’s Buyers Sentiment Indices both fell this week, with current sentiment taking a large dive to begin the new year, according to our most recent survey data.

SMU polled steel buyers on a variety of subjects this past week, including purchasing practices, steel sheet prices, scrap, and the future market.

The iron ore price has edged up further from the already high level seen last week. The market is generally slow, meaning that the moderate price increase came from the bullish outlook from the market following last week’s stimulus announcements from China and expectations of restocking picking up. Supply fell w/w from both Australia and Brazil as […]

The percentage of steel buyers saying mills were willing to negotiate spot pricing on the products SMU surveys was mixed this week.

SMU doesn’t do forecasts. We leave that to our colleagues at CRU. But we’re pretty good at surveys, and we’ve got a great group of readers. That’s why we decided to ask you what’s in store for 2024. The results are below, along with some insightful comments in italics.

Steel Market Update’s Steel Demand Index declined, falling back into contraction territory after a very short-lived gain just two weeks ago, according to our latest survey data.

We started 2023 with HRC spot pricing around $700 per ton and the third-month future (March ‘23) trading at $800/ton. That same future eventually settled at $1,059/ton - a $259/ton swing. Today, spot pricing is just shy of $1,100/ton for HRC, and the third-month future (March ‘24) settled at $1,091/ton. The clear takeaway: a lot can change over three months. And while future contracts are a valuable tool for hedging, they are a terrible predictor of price.

All of the products SMU surveys notched an increase in the percentage of buyers saying mills were willing to negotiate spot pricing, with the exception of cold rolled, according to our most recent survey data.

On Monday and Tuesday of this week, SMU polled steel buyers on a variety of subjects, including purchasing practices, steel sheet prices, scrap, and the future market. Rather than summarizing the comments we received, we are sharing some of them in each buyer’s own words.

As we look back at the scrap market for 2023, it basically followed its normal seasonal pattern. Most of the disruptive geopolitical events that riled ferrous raw materials occurred in 2022. So, with those things out of the way—or settling down at least for now—2023 resumed its normal pattern.

Pig iron prices rose month over month (MoM) for all major regions, driven by rising scrap prices.

Steel Dynamics Inc. (SDI) expects lower fourth-quarter earnings sequentially and on-year, though the company said “steel order activity remains solid.”

The LME aluminum 3-month price is moving higher on the morning of Dec. 15 and was last seen trading at $2,258 /metric ton. This means the price is up 7% already since the new low for 2023 was reached on Wednesday at $2,109 /metric ton. The US Dollar reached its lowest level since early August […]

Steel Market Update’s Steel Demand Index has moved into growth territory, but barely, after recovering slightly from our reading in late November, according to our latest survey data.

Flat Rolled = 54.0 Shipping Days of Supply Plate = 61.7 Shipping Days of Supply Flat Rolled After three months of inventory cuts, US service center flat-rolled steel inventories grew in November as shipments slowed. At the end of November, service centers carried 54 shipping days of flat-rolled steel supply on an adjusted basis, up […]