Since November 2008 Steel Market Update has been measuring how buyers and sellers of flat rolled steel felt about their company’s ability to be successful in both the existing (current) as well as future (3-6 months into the future) market conditions. The result is our nationally known SMU Steel Buyers Sentiment Index which we believe […]
This is Steel Market Update’s first Key Market Indicators report since April as we have renegotiated some data supply contracts and made a few changes to the content. The report still summarizes 36 data streams that we believe critically describe the state of the steel market and provide forward guidance to steel buyers. Data released […]
Steel Market Update is sharing this Premium content with Executive-level readers. For more information about upgrading to a Premium-level subscription, email Info@SteelMarketUpdate.com. Key market indicators in December were at an all-time high in the history of Steel Market Update’s analysis, but trends are deteriorating. This report summarizes 36 data streams that we believe critically describe […]
Both current and future sentiment among flat rolled steel buyers remain at optimistic levels, though buyers’ confidence appears to have seen some erosion as measured by the three-month moving averages in Steel Market Update’s Steel Buyers Sentiment Index. The index is designed to measure changes in buyers’ attitudes, which offers insight into their likely decision-making. […]
Both current and future sentiment among flat rolled steel buyers saw little change in the past two weeks as the market paused to see how the maneuvering on the trade front plays out. In general, buyers’ attitudes remain at optimistic levels but are below year-ago levels, which SMU finds concerning. We are finding a growing […]
Steel price momentum remained on the upswing in March, but steel buyers appeared slightly less optimistic about their prospects as President Trump’s tariffs and fears of a trade war weighed on many minds. The price of benchmark hot roll hit $870 per ton in late March, up $50 per ton from the beginning of the […]
Twice per month, once at the beginning of the month and then again in the middle of the month, Steel Market Update conducts an analysis of the trends impacting the flat rolled and plate steel markets. We invite 640 individuals associated with flat rolled and plate steels in purchasing, sales or executive positions at manufacturing, […]
Both current and future sentiment among flat rolled steel buyers saw a small but positive bump in the past two weeks, perhaps reflecting the announcements and uncertainty from the Trump administration on the steel tariffs that are set to take effect tomorrow, March 23. In general, buyers’ attitudes have bounced up and down within a […]
Both current and future sentiment among flat rolled steel buyers saw a small but positive bump in the past two weeks, perhaps reflecting the announcements and uncertainty from the Trump administration on the steel tariffs that went into effect on March 23. In general, buyers’ attitudes have bounced up and down within a small range […]
President Trump’s controversial decision to impose a steep tariff on steel imports has clearly unsettled the market and taken a toll on the attitude of many steel buyers. Both current and future sentiment among flat rolled steel buyers declined significantly in the last two weeks, according to the latest Steel Market Update Steel Buyers Sentiment […]
There were no surprises in this month’s data as our SMU Price Momentum continued to reflect higher steel prices, and that expectation continues over the next 30 to 60 days. Our SMU Steel Buyers Sentiment Index is at, or very near, all-time highs for our index. Buyers and sellers of flat rolled steel are optimistic […]
Current and future sentiment among flat rolled steel buyers showed a slight dip this month, due in part to the uncertainty over possible government trade action against imports. Viewed as a three-month moving average, however, industry optimism remains near record highs, according to the latest Steel Market Update Steel Buyers Sentiment Index. The index measures […]
Current and future sentiment among flat rolled steel buyers remains at or near record highs, according to the latest Steel Market Update Steel Buyers Sentiment Index. The index measures changes in buyers’ optimism levels, which offers insight into their likely decision-making. Three out of four respondents to SMU’s flat rolled market trends questionnaire this week […]
Industry data through the end January, including drivers of steel prices, supply and demand, are all pointing up as the year got off to a strong start. As the month ended, the Steel Market Update (SMU) Price Momentum indicator was pointing to higher flat rolled steel prices over the next 30 to 60 days as […]
Current and future sentiment among flat rolled steel buyers has rarely been higher, according to the latest Steel Market Update Steel Buyers Sentiment Index. The index measures changes in buyers’ optimism levels, which offers insight into their likely decision-making. Nearly eight out of 10 respondents to SMU’s flat rolled steel questionnaire say their company’s chances […]
Current and future sentiment among flat rolled steel buyers remains high as the New Year begins, much the same as at this time last year, according to the Steel Market Update Steel Buyers Sentiment Index. The SMU Steel Buyers Sentiment Index measures changes in buyers’ optimism levels, which offers insight into their likely decision-making. Three […]
The following industry data, current through the end of the month of December 2017, covers a number of important indices and drivers of steel prices, as well as supply and demand. As the month ended, the Steel Market Update (SMU) Price Momentum indicator was referencing higher flat rolled steel prices over the next 30 to […]
Current and future sentiment among flat rolled steel buyers improved further in December, according to the Steel Market Update Steel Buyers Sentiment Index, mirroring the pattern at this time last year that heralded a strong first quarter. The SMU Steel Buyers Sentiment Index measures changes in buyers’ optimism levels, which offers insight into their likely […]
Current and future sentiment among flat rolled steel buyers ticked up a bit in the past two weeks, according to the Steel Market Update Steel Buyers Sentiment Index. The same pattern started to appear at this time last year, leading into a strong first quarter. The SMU Steel Buyers Sentiment Index measures changes in buyers’ […]
Twice per month, Steel Market Update (SMU) conducts an analysis of the flat rolled steel market and the trends that affect pricing, demand, etc. Each analysis is conducted via an email invitation to complete a questionnaire. SMU invites approximately 650 individuals who are active participants in the manufacturing, distribution, toll processing, trading and steel mill […]
Despite all the uncertainty regarding possible trade action and steel prices, the Steel Market Update Steel Buyers Sentiment Index is holding steady, and at a higher level than last year. Steel buyers’ sentiment appears to have bottomed out in October and November and, in Steel Market Update’s opinion, is poised to pick up along with […]
The real news coming out of this week’s flat rolled steel market trends analysis is the jump in the SMU Steel Buyers Sentiment Index when looking at the index as a single data point, as opposed to a three-month moving average, which is our preference. Measured as a single data point, the average among those […]
The month of October is now behind us and here are some of the key pieces of data either produced by or followed by Steel Market Update. As the month ended, our Price Momentum Indicator continues to point toward Neutral (meaning there is not a strong enough “push” to prices that will force them higher […]
Steel market indicators look good in the October data, but the trends took a turn for the worse. In the data released in October, our view of the present situation is that 47.2 percent of the 36 indicators are historically positive with only 19 percent negative. The balance are within the band of historically normal. […]
Twice per month, Steel Market Update conducts an analysis on the flat rolled steel market. Our focus is on pricing and price direction, demand, inventory management, international steel, buyers’ sentiment, service center spot price direction, mill lead times and negotiations, and more. We have been conducting our market analysis going back to late 2008. The […]
The Steel Market Update (SMU) Steel Buyers Sentiment Index market cycle appears to have bottomed as buyers and sellers of flat rolled steel were slightly more optimistic than what we collected at the beginning of the month. We measured the single data point for those responding to our flat rolled steel market trends questionnaire this […]
One of the questions we get regularly is what are steel buyers and sellers of steel saying about their business (demand) and inventory levels? Over this past week, Steel Market Update spoke with quite a few companies and asked them how they were seeing business and if their company was building flat rolled or steel […]
One of the questions we get regularly is what are steel buyers and sellers of steel saying about their business (demand) and inventory levels? Over this past week, Steel Market Update spoke with quite a few companies and asked them how they were seeing business and if their company was building flat rolled or steel […]
Buyers and sellers of flat rolled steel continue to be optimistic about their company’s ability to be successful in the current market environment as well as three to six months into the future. We are seeing signs of what has become a normal mild tapering of enthusiasm as we enter the fourth quarter of the […]
SMU Price Momentum Indicator is now at “lower,” meaning flat rolled steel spot prices are expected to move lower over the next 30 to 60 days. Steel prices have begun to retreat with benchmark hot rolled beginning the month at $630 per ton ($31.50/cwt) and ending the month down $20 to $610 per ton ($30.50/cwt). […]