Global manufacturing rose to a 75-month high in August. The J.P. Morgan Global Manufacturing PMI climbed to 53.1 from 52.7 in July. Most components of the PMI increased in August and at a faster rate. Future output was the only measure to remain the same as July, at a strong 63.5. Developed nations on average led […]
The chaos to commerce continues in the Houston area as a result of flooding and damage from Hurricane Harvey. Texas Governor Gregg Abbot estimates damage to the area will be in the range of $150 billion to $180 billion. A quick survey of steel service centers and distribution centers in the area found that many […]
The market’s obsessive speculation over Section 232 and possible new tariffs on steel imports has caused many to miss the big story, said Timna Tanners, research analyst for Bank of America Merrill Lynch. “Stop worrying about what’s happening in Washington and pay more attention to what’s happening in China,” she told the sellout crowd at […]
Steel Market Update (SMU) received pricing information from China this morning along with a warning that China may be building a steel price bubble that will pop. The only question is when and how much damage will it do when it does. Traders are complaining that the new Chinese numbers are too high to be […]
Economic activity in the manufacturing sector expanded again in August as the Institute for Supply Management’s PMI registered 58.8 percent, an increase of 2.5 percentage points from July. This indicates growth in manufacturing for the 12th consecutive month and is the highest reading since April 2011, reports ISM. Any reading above 50 percent indicates expansion. […]
The Commerce Department has extended the deadline for determinations in the anti-circumvention investigation of corrosion-resistant steel from China to Feb. 15, 2018. On Nov. 14, 2016, the anti-circumvention case was initiated on CORE steel products from the People’s Republic of China in response to a request from steel companies ArcelorMittal USA, Nucor, U.S. Steel, AK […]
Good evening from Atlanta, site of our 7th SMU Steel Summit Conference. We announced this morning that attendance for this conference is a new record. We are pleased to announce we registered 661 manufacturing, steel and industry executives for this year’s conference, breaking last year’s 434 record. Our “Pre-Summit” Conference program on Monday attracted approximately […]
In June and July, China registered its highest share of global steel production ever, according to World Steel Association data with analysis by Steel Market Update. Global crude steel production in the month of July totaled 143,245,000 metric tons, up from 141,331,000 metric tons in June. Capacity utilization was 71.7 percent, down from 73.0 percent […]
This article is normally reserved for our Premium members, but we are sharing it with our entire readership this month. To learn more about what our Premium members receive, click here. Steel Market Update offers this update on the currencies of the steel and iron ore trading nations through Aug. 21. The analysis of currency […]
In the last month, the price of crude oil has risen and the price of natural gas has declined slightly. The number of operating rigs exploring for both oil and gas has declined for three straight weeks. This is the first decline since the low point of June 27 last year. The prices of oil […]
The Trump administration’s effort to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement and secure “a better deal for America” begins this week with talks between Canada, Mexico and the United States. The opening round will be in Washington on Aug. 16-20. The second round will take place in Mexico City around Sept. 10. Canada will […]
Editor’s note: As a special bonus, we are sharing this premium-level article with all our subscribers: Demand for sheet products is increasingly driven by hot rolled coil. Imports are taking a greater share of the sheet market, reaching 21.2 percent in June. Apparent supply is a proxy for market demand, and the apparent supply of […]
U.S. steel exports in June totaled 910,988 net tons (826,435 metric tons), down 9.5 percent over May, but up 12.3 percent from June 2016. Although down over last month, total June exports are in line with the average monthly level over the last few months. Back in May, total exports had climbed to 1,006,087 tons, […]
Editor’s note: As a special bonus, we are sharing this premium-level article with all our subscribers: We believe that misinformation (or lack of) about regional import volumes is often used to influence purchase decisions. Our intent with this analysis of tonnage by district of entry is to describe in detail what is going on in […]
NAFTA renegotiations are under way and automakers are concerned about changes to rules of origin for automobiles. Strengthening the rules could make U.S. auto and manufacturing sectors less competitive globally, warned speakers at a Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) event on Wednesday. Representatives of American and international automotive producers charged that stronger rules of […]
Ferrous scrap prices are up about $20 per ton across the board on strong domestic demand and scrap export markets “that are on fire,” say SMU’s scrap sources. One scrap metal processor with locations across the country reports HMS at $300, shred at $315 and busheling at $390 per gross ton for August delivery. Export […]
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 […]
Responses to two questions in Steel Market Update’s latest flat roll market trends analysis elicited a clear consensus from our participants: The Trump administration’s delay in acting on Section 232 could open the door to more foreign steel imports. But the government should not necessarily penalize foreign countries just because they export a high rate […]
Total imports of rolled steel increased by 16.9 percent, and sheet products by 18.4 percent, in the three months through July, compared with the prior three months, according to final license data for July released by the U.S. Commerce Department on Aug. 1. The three-month moving average (3MMA) of the total volume of rolled product […]
In this report, updated July 28, we examine the latest prices for iron ore, scrap, coking coal and zinc. To put the raw materials analysis into perspective, we begin with Figure 1, which shows the spread between Chicago #1 busheling and hot rolled coil ex works Indiana through July 21, both in $/net ton. On […]
As a monthly average, prices on all flat rolled steel products recovered in July following a dip in June. The month of July ended with SMU’s Price Momentum Indicator continuing to point higher as the market waits to see if and when the Trump administration will act on Section 232 trade measures that could further […]
China cut crude steel capacity by 42.39 million metric tons in the first half of 2017–about 84 percent of its 50 million metric ton goal for the year–but steel production rose 4.6 percent to 419.75 million tons during the same period. Shutdowns to capacity do not include the removal of 100 million tons of illegal […]
The following is a press release on steel exports from the American Institute for International Steel (AIIS) on July 27 2017: Falls Church, VA. July 27, 2017. Steel exports swelled 17.3 percent from April to May – and were up 25.2 percent from a year earlier – to surpass 1 million net tons. More than […]
Steel Market Update (SMU) has been in contact with our scrap sources who are advising us ferrous scrap prices will move higher as we get into August negotiations with the steel mills. We have been hearing scrap will move by a minimum of $15 per gross to $25 per gross ton. “Ferrous grades will certainly […]
Even conceding that a strong U.S. steel industry is vital to the nation’s security, it’s unclear whether America’s steelmakers really need an assist from the government in the form of new tariffs or quotas under Section 232. “Is the industry deserving of any kind of help? I believe you can make a good case that […]
Members of the House Ways & Means Committee will be briefed on the Section 232 steel investigation Thursday, July 27, according to Inside U.S. Trade. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross is expected to provide data on steel imports and the U.S. steel industry to the committee, similar to a briefing of the Senate Finance panel last […]
Last week, Steel Market Update (SMU) completed our mid-July flat rolled market trends analysis. We invited 650 steel executives to participate. Of those responding, 48 percent were service centers, 41 percent were manufacturing companies, and 8 percent were trading companies, with steel mills and toll processors accounting for 4 percent each. One of the questions […]
Graphite electrodes used in electric arc furnaces are short in supply, causing concerns for EAF and ladle metallurgy (LMF) steel mills. Electrode manufacturers have reduced capacity in the past several years by an estimated 200,000 metric tons annually, according to some sources. China electrode producers had priced other companies out of the market by offering […]
The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) released new foreign steel import license data on July 18. The trend for July is for steel imports to remain quite high, in the mid 3-million-net-ton range. We expect imports to be lower than June’s 3.9 million net tons, but above the 12-month and 3-month moving averages. Finished steel […]
China’s economic performance through the second quarter continued to be impressive. Chinese growth of steel production lagged the rest of the world in the first months of 2017, but the June output could indicate an unwelcome change. Once each quarter, we publish the official statistics for Chinese GDP, industrial production, consumer price inflation and fixed […]