At the start of each year, CRU continues to feature top expectations and outliers for the year ahead. This annual list of expectations is a thought piece, meant to stimulate internal discussions, scenario analysis, and strategic planning around potential risks to the markets we cover. This 2023 edition covers six expectations and three potential outliers. […]
US Steel said sourcing pig iron from its Gary Works in Indiana in the first half of 2023, and working through the remainder of the high-priced raw materials, are expected to improve its mini mill segment’s financial results. However, in guidance released Thursday, Dec. 15, the Pittsburgh-based steelmaker said the mini mill segment’s adjusted earnings […]
Editor’s note: SMU Contributor Michael D’Angelo is a researcher and trader at Marex. In his role, Mike performs fundamental and quantitative analysis, which directly leads to actionable trading/risk management strategies across the base, precious, and ferrous metals derivative spaces. Prior to joining Marex, Mike received a BA in economics with a minor in finance from […]
US Steel said hot commissioning is underway, and the first small batch of pig iron was cast at its Gary Works in northwest Indiana. The Pittsburgh-based steelmaker said it has cast several full ladles of hot iron and produced over 1,000 tons of pig iron. This occurred months ahead of schedule, while maintaining a perfect […]
As this year winds down, many have 2023 business on their minds. Reports of waning demand have contributed to pessimism among buyers. But the domestic steel industry has reason for optimism heading into the New Year, according to the top executives at steel’s two leading trade associations. Steel Market Update spoke with Phil Bell, president of […]
By CRU Research Analyst Aaron Kearney-Keaveny, from CRU’s Steelmaking Raw Materials Monitor The CRU metallics price indicator (CRUmpi) for November fell by 3.5% month-on-month (MoM), to 298.3, which is the lowest level since December 2020. Global scrap demand continues to be undermined by weak steel market fundamentals in key markets. Over the past few months, […]
Prices of steelmaking raw materials moved in differing directions over the last 30 days, as they did the month prior, according to Steel Market Update’s latest analysis. Through the latest data available as of Nov. 16, pig iron and aluminum increased 7% in the last month, coking coal prices rose 6%, and zinc prices increased 4%. […]
The following article on the hot-rolled coil (HRC), scrap and financial futures markets was written by Jack Marshall of Crunch Risk LLC. Here is how Jack saw trading over the past week: Hot Rolled The indicated value of HR spot has declined roughly $31 per short ton ($687/ST to $656/ST) this month. For comparison purposes, […]
By CRU Senior Analyst, Puneet Paliwal, from CRU’s Scrap, DRI/HBI & Pig Iron Monitor The CRU metallics price indicator (CRUmpi) for November fell by 3.5% month-on-month (MoM), to 298.3, which is the lowest level since December 2020. Global scrap demand continues to be undermined by weak steel market fundamentals in key markets, causing prices to stay […]
Prices of steelmaking raw material moved in differing directions over the last 30 days, according to Steel Market Update’s latest analysis. Through the latest data available as of Oct. 27, coking coal prices increased 15% over the last month, aluminum prices rose 8%, and zinc prices increased 2%. Pig iron prices remained stable. Busheling scrap […]
By CRU Senior Analyst, Puneet Paliwal, from CRU’s Scrap, DRI/HBI & Pig Iron Monitor Global scrap prices stay subdued while those of ore-based metallics have found some support. Overall metallics demand continues to be hampered by the steel market weakness, a trend which may sustain through the short term, particularly in Europe. The CRU metallics price […]
Editor’s note: SMU Contributor David Feldstein is president of Rock Trading Advisors. Rock provides customers attached to the steel industry with commodity price risk management services and market intelligence. RTA is registered with the National Futures Association as a Commodity Trade Advisor. David has over 20 years of professional trading experience and has been active […]
We’ve seen a wave of mill idlings and outages this fall. But steel buyer reaction to date has been subdued. The yawn now in response to all those tons coming out of the market stands in stark contrast to the almost hysterical reaction to downtime at even the smallest producers in early 2021. Remember the […]
By CRU Research Analyst Aaron Kearney-Keaveny, from CRU’s Steelmaking Raw Materials Monitor The CRU metallics price indicator (CRUmpi) rose by 2.2% month-on-month (MoM) to 312.3, following four continuous months of decline since May 2022. This MoM rise in the CRUmpi was specifically driven by a sharp rebound in Asian scrap prices while European prices stabilized. […]
Prices for each of the steelmaking raw materials tracked in this SMU analysis decreased over the last 30 days, further declining from the record-high levels seen in March and April. Through the latest data available as of Sept. 21, zinc prices decreased 12% in the last month, busheling scrap and aluminum prices fell 7%, pig […]
United States Steel Corporation has idled the No. 8 blast furnace at its Gary Works in Indiana due to market conditions and high import levels. A spokeswoman confirmed the idling began on Sept. 7. “We continue to monitor market conditions and plan to bring the furnace back online when business conditions allow,” she told SMU. […]
Prices for five of the seven steelmaking raw materials tracked in this SMU analysis decreased over the last 30 days, further declining from the record levels seen in March and April. Through the latest data available as of August 31, pig iron prices decreased 38% in the last month, busheling scrap prices fell 14%, aluminum […]
The steel and commodity price forecast panel – always a popular program at SMU’s Steel Summit – once again didn’t disappoint. Speakers included three of the steel industry’s most respected analysts: Josh Spoores, CRU’s principal steel analyst, Timna Tanners, Wolfe Research’s managing director, and John Anton, S&P Global Market Intelligence’s director. The sheet market today […]
North Star BlueScope is “substantially complete” with a $700 million expansion that will provide the Delta, Ohio, EAF sheet mill with additional annual capacity of nearly 950,000 short tons (850,000 metric tonnes). The mill produced the first coil from its expansion in June and has begun the 18-month process of ramping up the facility to […]
Steelmakers stand firm in the face of Russian aggression The invasion of Ukraine led to a sharp and sudden decline in steel production as steelmakers hurried to idle their assets in the face of military aggression. In the weeks that followed, some of these producers restarted their facilities – albeit at reduced capacity utilization. As […]
Nucor Corp. aims to increase base prices for steel sheet by at least $50 per ton ($2.50 per cwt). The price hike is effectively immediately and applies to all new orders, the Charlotte, N.C.-based steelmaker said in letters to customers dated Monday, Aug. 8. “We reserve the right to review and re-quote any offers that […]
Another Russian steelmaker has been sanctioned by the US government in response to Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. The US Department of Treasury officially sanctioned Russian steelmaker Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works (MMK) and its majority owner Viktor Filippovich Rashnikov. MMK’s subsidiaries MMK-FINANS and MMK Metalurji were added to the list as well. The companies […]
Flat-rolled steel prices fell again this week as they have just about every week since late April. But there were a couple of new trends of note this time, even if they don’t change the overall narrative of a continued correction in flat-rolled steel prices. For starters, plate prices took a big tumble – down […]
Despite lower domestic coke sales in the second quarter, SunCoke Energy is seeing favorable export coke pricing and is increasing its earnings guidance for the year as a result. “Our domestic coke and logistics segments continued to perform well in the second quarter with the backdrop of strong commodity markets. Although our coke production was […]
US Steel is trying to keep a stiff upper lip despite lower flat-rolled steel selling prices, continued supply chain problems, and an uneven economic outlook. “Let’s face it. There’s a lot of uncertainty. Some people say more uncertainty than ever before,” company president and CEO David Burritt said. “I’m not so sure that’s true. But […]
Prices for all seven of the steelmaking raw materials tracked in this SMU analysis declined over the last 30 days, receding further from record-high levels seen in March and April. Through the latest data available as of July 27, coking coal prices decreased 56% compared to one month prior, pig iron and busheling scrap prices […]
New sheet and plate capacity from Nucor will be entering the market in force by the end of this year, just in time for an anticipated increase in infrastructure demand, company executives said. Whether those facilities ramp up to their nameplate capacity will ultimately depend on demand, they added. “While we recognize there is considerable […]
Leaders of the American steel industry gathered with members of the Congressional Steel Caucus on Wednesday in Washington, to discuss the state of the industry and how Congress can continue to support this critically important sector of the economy. Topics of discussion at the Caucus hearing included building and supporting critical supply chains and domestic manufacturing, […]
We’ve been covering the latest turn of the screw in contract talks between US and Canadian steelmakers and the United Steelworkers (USW) union. Some of you have asked us lately what the key dates and companies are. Below is a summary of where things stand – rhetoric and minutia aside – with USW and Canadian […]
By CRU Senior Analyst Puneet Paliwal, from CRU’s Steel Metallics Monitor on July 14 The CRU metallics price indicator (CRUmpi) registered its third consecutive double-digit percentage decline in July, falling by 18.5% month over month (MoM) to 313.9, its lowest value since February 2021. Bearish sentiment in the metallics market, prevalent since May, has been […]