US plate prices fell this week, responding to Nucor’s latest price announcement on Monday, Sept. 19. Price tags remain under pressure and further declines are expected through the fourth quarter as spot demand is likely to remain limited. But few expect Nucor’s latest plate price announcement to generate any immediate business, sources told SMU, speculating […]
Earlier this week, SMU polled steel buyers on a variety of subjects including current and future steel prices, inventory strategies, supply, demand, and new mill capacity. We are sharing the comments we received in each buyer’s own words, rather than summarizing them in ours. We want to hear your thoughts, too! Contact Brett@SteelMarketUpdate.com to be […]
Nucor Corp. is significantly lowering plate prices effective immediately, largely impacting its November plate order book. The Charlotte, N.C.-based steelmaker said discrete plate prices, as well as prices for normalized plate, will be $120 per ton ($6 per cwt) lower. Prices for certain cut-to-length items are unchanged from its Sept. 2 price announcement. “We reserve […]
Has the US steel market reached another downward inflection point? I ask because our survey data has turned a little bearish following an upsurge in sentiment that, in retrospect, might have crested not long after Steel Summit. It wouldn’t be the first time that we saw post-conference euphoria in late August fizzle out in September. Last […]
SSAB Americas is forging ahead to show customers, the government, and other stakeholders that it is serious about sustainability and achieving its ultimate goal of “net zero” emissions. The flat-rolled steelmaker recently released Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for its steel plate and coil products that show it is well ahead not just of others in […]
Flat Rolled = 53.9 Shipping Days of Supply Plate = 59.4 Shipping Days of Supply Flat Rolled US service center flat rolled inventories edged down month on month in August, though the amount of material on order spiked, according to Steel Market Update data. At the end of August, service centers had 53.9 shipping days […]
To stimulate the development of low-carbon, made-in-America materials, the Biden administration has announced new activities under the Federal Buy Clean Initiative. An announcement made by the White House on Sept. 15 in Toledo, Ohio, noted that the Federal Government will prioritize the purchase of essential low-carbon construction materials, covering 98% of materials purchased by the […]
Steel mill lead times were overall flat this week, with the processing time for some orders slightly extending and others shrinking. Hot rolled and Galvalume lead times increased compared to our previous market check, while cold rolled, galvanized, and plate lead times slightly declined. On average this week, lead times were unchanged compared to two […]
The percentage of buyers reporting that mills are negotiable on new order pricing grew this week. According to our latest steel market survey this week, the majority of the steel executives polled reported that mills are willing to talk price to secure an order. A high willingness to negotiate has been evident in each of […]
Nucor Corp., the largest steelmaker in the US, expects lower sequential results for its third quarter ending Oct. 1. The Charlotte, N.C.-based steelmaker expects earnings of $6.30 to $6.40 per diluted share in Q3, according to earnings guidance figures released on Wednesday, Sept. 14. That’s down from the record of $9.67 per diluted share in […]
Sheet and plate prices continued to drift sideways this week as steel mills attempt to hold the line despite weak signals from the scrap market. Mills are more unified in trying to hold the line around $800 per ton ($40 per cwt) on hot-rolled coil following deep discounting ahead of announced price increases last month. […]
A planned maintenance outage at SSAB America’s 1.25-million-tons-per-year plate mill in Montpelier, Iowa, began this week, the company confirmed to Steel Market Update. The outage had been planned for October but was moved up into September and is now expected to last through Oct. 5. Costs related to the outage were previously anticipated to be […]
Lapham-Hickey Steel has acquired SMC Metal Fabricators of Oshkosh, Wisc., for an undisclosed sum. SMC operates a 115,000-square-foot facility adjacent to two Lapham-Hickey facilities in Oshkosh. Its facility, previously owned by the Albright family for nearly three decades, hosts laser cutting, forming, welding, powder coating, and assembly services. SMC’s products and services “will enhance our […]
US plate prices were unchanged this past week but remain under pressure. Spot demand is limited, with sources noting that Nucor’s efforts to keep prices flat might be short-lived. Recall that Nucor announced it would keep some plate prices flat and decrease certain cut-to-length items as much as $150 per ton ($7.50 per cwt) with the […]
US steel exports declined 7% from June to July, now at a five-month low of 742,000 net tons according to the latest US Commerce Department data. Just one month prior, we saw the third-highest monthly export rate seen in the past four years at 800,000 tons. On a 12-month moving average basis (12MMA), annual steel […]
Ryerson has announced its acquisition of Howard Precision Metals, one of the largest distributors of aluminum in the Midwest. “Howard has cultivated a strong brand and a reputation for creating excellent customer experiences,” said Mike Burbach, Ryerson’s COO. “Its processing capabilities complement Ryerson’s existing non-ferrous franchise, and we are excited to recognize these synergies as […]
Final Census data shows that 2.68 million net tons of steel imports entered the country in July, down 6% compared to the month prior and the lowest rate in the past five months. The preliminary import figures reported last week were just 4,000 tons shy of the final count (most of the flat rolled products […]
SMU polled steel buyers earlier this week on a variety of subjects including current and future steel prices, inventory strategies, demand, and new capacity. Rather than summarizing the comments we received, we are sharing them in each buyer’s own words. We want to hear your thoughts, too! Contact Brett@SteelMarketUpdate.com to be included in our questionnaires. Where […]
Sheet and plate prices were flat or down this week as some market participants questioned whether tags might be beginning to inflect lower. Hot-rolled and cold-rolled prices were down $5 per ton week over week. Galvanized (down $55 per ton) and Galvalume (down $40 per ton) fell more significantly. The steeper declines in coated products […]
US Steel has temporarily idled the No. 5 tin line at its Gary Works in northwest Indiana. The Pittsburgh-based steelmaker indicated that the move was necessary because of weaker demand and increased import volumes. “The company’s other tin operations continue to operate in line with customer demand. We expect to bring number 5 tin line back […]
Steel prices eased overall throughout August, following declines seen in the three previous months. Hot rolled prices were $805 per ton ($40.25 per cwt) the first week of August, falling to a low of $770 per ton in the middle of the month, and rising to $785 per ton as of last Tuesday. The SMU […]
Nucor Corp. aims to keep prices for some plate products flat and to decrease prices on certain cut-to-length items by $50-150 per ton ($2.50-7.50 per cwt). The Charlotte, N.C.-based steelmaker announced the move with the opening of its October order book for plate. “We reserve the right to review and re-quote any offers that are […]
After contracting in mid-August, the percentage of buyers reporting that mills’ prices are negotiable grew this week. All but 15% of the steel executives polled this week reported that mills are willing to talk price to secure an order, according to our steel market surveys. A high willingness to negotiate has been evident in each […]
Flat-rolled steel prices were steady to up based on the data points SMU collected this week. There’s undoubtedly been pressure from recent mill price hikes, but it’s still far too early to tell if they will stick or if this is just a blip. Sheet prices rose for each of our products this week. The […]
Canada’s Algoma Steel and the United Steelworkers (USW) Local 2251 announced they have agreed on a new labor deal after members successfully ratified the terms of the five-year collective agreement. The bargaining committee of Local 2251 “unanimously recommended the offer,” encouraging members to vote in favor of the fair agreement. The two sides had agreed […]
Preliminary Census data indicates that July steel imports will total 2.67 million net tons, down 6% compared to June and the lowest monthly rate since February of this year. July figures are down 14% compared to March’s 26-month high of 3.09 million tons. Import licenses for August are currently at 1.98 million tons through August […]
Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. has reached a tentative agreement with the United Steelworkers (USW) on a new, four-year labor contract, the company and the union said on Saturday, Aug. 27. The agreement is pending ratification by the USW local union members, who are likely to vote in the coming days on the pact negotiated by the bargaining […]
Economic conditions are still iffy at best. Housing data continues to suffer with new home sales plunging and inventory reaching the highest it has been since 2009. The Richmond and Kansas City Fed manufacturing indexes both plunged in July as well. The Richmond Fed’s manufacturing skill availability index, which indicates the demand for skilled labor […]
Earlier this week, SMU polled steel buyers on a variety of subjects including current and future steel prices, inventory strategies, supply, demand, and new mill capacity. We are sharing the comments we received in each buyer’s own words, rather than summarizing them in ours. We want to hear your thoughts, too! Contact Brett@SteelMarketUpdate.com to be […]
We’ve concluded the second day of our Steel Summit conference in Atlanta, and I thought I’d leave you with five things I learned today. So here they are in no particular order: Say Hello to ADI, Say Goodbye to Section 232 (as we know it) It’s not official yet. But Steel Dynamics Inc. (SDI) president […]