Coal companies have been struggling with regulation changes and decreasing demand over the past several years. According to U.S. Energy Information Administration data, coal production fell 10 percent in 2015 to its lowest level since 1986. Coal prices have dropped 35 percent in just the past two years. The result has been bankruptcy restructuring proceedings […]
According to Baker Hughes data from January 8, 2016, the U.S rig count for the week was 664 rigs exploring for or developing oil or natural gas. This is a decrease of 34 rigs compared to last week, with oil rigs down 20 to 516 rigs, gas rigs down 14 to 148 rigs, and miscellaneous […]
The Texas Manufacturing Outlook Survey, conducted by the Dallas Fed, showed mixed results in December. The general business activity index plunged to -20.1 from -4.9 in November indicating a continued weakness in manufacturing. Analysts expected a decrease but only to around -6.0. In contrast, the index for production rose 8.2 points to 13.4 during the […]
Each month the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) puts out its series of producer price indexes, for thousands of goods and materials. For an explanation of this program see the end of this piece. The latest release last week reported results through November. We run this analysis every three or four months to give readers […]
Figure 1 shows historical gas and oil prices since January 2000. The daily spot price of West Texas Intermediate closed at $36.31 on December 14th, down from $45.91 on October 17th, according to the latest daily figure available from the Energy Information Administration (EIA). Brent closed at $36.51 on December 14th. WTI was down from […]
Both of these data points are reported in the Federal Reserve G17 data base. The index had an all-time high of 107.9108 in November last year but on a month over month (m/m) basis has declined for nine of the first eleven months of 2015. This contrasts sharply with last year when in only one […]
According to Baker Hughes data from December 11, 2015, the U.S rig count for the week was 709 rigs exploring for or developing oil or natural gas. This is a decrease of 28 rigs compared to last week, with oil rigs down 21 to 524 rigs, gas rigs down 7 to 185 rigs, and miscellaneous […]
According to Baker Hughes data from December 4, 2015, the U.S rig count for the week was 737 rigs exploring for or developing oil or natural gas. This is a decrease of 7 rigs compared to last week, with oil rigs down 10 to 545 rigs, gas rigs up 3 to 192 rigs, and miscellaneous […]
SMU contributing writer, Peter Wright, evaluates the oil and gas industry on a monthly basis for Steel Market Update. Energy markets are large users of hot rolled as well as pipe and tube steels. The energy market’s slowdown is one of the key reasons why the domestic steel industry has slowed this year. Figure 1 […]
The Department of Commerce announced on Wednesday the initiation of AD and CVD investigations of imports of circular welded carbon-quality steel pipe from Pakistan. AD investigations were initiated on imports of the same products from Oman, the Philippines, United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam. The products in question are welded carbon-quality steel pipe and tube, of […]
According to Baker Hughes data from November 13, 2015, the U.S rig count for the week was 767 rigs exploring for or developing oil or natural gas. This is a decrease of 4 rigs compared to last week, with oil rigs up 2 to 574 rigs, gas rigs down 6 to 193 rigs, and miscellaneous […]
According to Baker Hughes data from November 6, 2015, the U.S rig count for the week was 771 rigs exploring for or developing oil or natural gas. This is a decrease of 4 rigs compared to last week, with oil rigs down 6 to 572 rigs, gas rigs up 2 to 199 rigs, and miscellaneous […]
Each month the Commerce Department issues its Construction Put in Place (CPIP) data, usually on the first working day covering activity two months earlier. September data was released on Monday November 2nd. Construction Put in Place is based on spending work as it occurs, estimated for a given month from a sample of projects. In […]
Figure 1 shows historical gas and oil prices since January 2000. The daily spot price of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) closed at $45.91 on October 17th, according to the latest daily figure available from the Energy Information Administration (EIA). Brent closed at $47.51 on the same day. WTI was down from $46.67 in 30 days […]
According to Baker Hughes data from October 23, 2015, the U.S rig count for the week was 787 rigs exploring for or developing oil or natural gas. This is unchanged overall compared to last week, with oil rigs down 1 to 594 rigs, gas rigs up 1 to 193 rigs, and miscellaneous rigs unchanged at […]
Cliffs Natural Resources is back pedaling after CEO Lourenco Goncalves said he would shut down a plant in the Iron Range if Essar Steel Minnesota goes into production. “If they go online, I will shut down a plant up there the same day,” Lourenco Goncalves said in an exclusive interview with the Mesabi Daily News […]
According to Baker Hughes data from October 16, 2015, the U.S rig count for the week was 787 rigs exploring for or developing oil or natural gas. This is a decrease of 8 rigs when compared to last week, with oil rigs down 10 to 595 rigs, gas rigs up 3 to 192 rigs, and […]
According to Baker Hughes data from October 9, 2015, the U.S rig count for the week was 795 rigs exploring for or developing oil or natural gas. This is a decrease of 14 rigs when compared to last week, with oil rigs down 9 to 605 rigs, gas rigs down 6 to 189 rigs, and […]
According to Baker Hughes data from October 2, 2015, the U.S rig count for the week was 809 rigs exploring for or developing oil or natural gas. This is a decrease of 29 rigs when compared to last week, with oil rigs down 26 to 614 rigs, gas rigs down 2 to 195 rigs, and […]
According to Baker Hughes data from September 25, 2015, the U.S rig count for the week was 838 rigs exploring for or developing oil or natural gas. This is a decrease of 4 rigs when compared to last week, with oil rigs down 4 to 640 rigs, gas rigs down 1 to 197 rigs, and […]
According to Baker Hughes data from September 18, 2015, the U.S rig count for the week was 842 rigs exploring for or developing oil or natural gas. This is a decrease of 6 rigs when compared to last week, with oil rigs down 8 to 644 rigs, gas rigs up 2 to 198 rigs, and […]
Each month the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) puts out its series of producer price indexes, for thousands of goods and materials. For an explanation of this program see the end of this piece. The latest release last Friday reported results through August. We run this analysis every three or four months to give readers […]
This report compares domestic mill shipments and total supply to the market. It quantifies market direction by product and enables a side by side comparison showing the degree to which imports have absorbed demand. Sources are the American Iron and Steel Institute and the Department of Commerce with analysis by SMU. Table 1 shows both […]
Figure 1 shows historical gas and oil prices since January 2000. The daily spot price of West Texas Intermediate closed at $45.92 on September 8th after recovering to $59.53 on June 15th. In the last 10 days WTI has declined by $3.28 according to the latest daily figure available from the Energy Information Administration (EIA). […]
According to Baker Hughes data from August 28, 2015, the U.S rig count for the week was 877 rigs exploring for or developing oil or natural gas. This is a decrease of 8 rigs when compared to last week, with oil rigs up 1 to 675 rigs, gas rigs down 9 to 202 rigs, and […]
According to Baker Hughes data from August 21, 2015, the U.S rig count for the week was 885 rigs exploring for or developing oil or natural gas. This is an increase of 1 rig when compared to last week, with oil rigs up 2 to 674 rigs, gas rigs unchanged at 211 rigs, and miscellaneous […]
Figure 1 shows historical gas and oil prices since January 2000. The daily spot price of West Texas Intermediate closed at $44.94 on August 10th after recovering to $59.53 on June 15th. In the last two weeks WTI has declined by $2.23 according to the latest daily figure available from the Energy Information Administration, […]
According to Baker Hughes data from August 7, 2015, the U.S rig count for the week was 884 rigs exploring for or developing oil or natural gas. This is an increase of 10 rigs when compared to last week, with oil rigs up 6 to 670 rigs, gas rigs up 4 to 213 rigs, and […]
According to Baker Hughes data from July 31, 2015, the U.S rig count for the week was 874 rigs exploring for or developing oil or natural gas. This is a decrease of 2 rigs when compared to last week, with oil rigs up 5 to 664 rigs, gas rigs down 7 to 209 rigs, and […]
According to Baker Hughes data from July 24, 2015, the U.S rig count for the week was 876 rigs exploring for or developing oil or natural gas. This is up 19 rigs when compared to last week, with oil rigs up 21 to 659 rigs, gas rigs down 2 to 216 rigs, and miscellaneous rigs […]