In this Premium analysis we cover North American oil and natural gas prices, drilling rig activity, and crude oil stock levels. Trends in energy prices and rig counts are an advance indicator of demand for oil country tubular goods (OCTG), line pipe and other steel products.
This CRU analysis from discusses steel sheet prices, demand, and inventory levels around the globe this past week.
No more excuses! The election is over. Donald Trump will be inaugurated on Monday January 20 with the Republican party in control of Congress. Now, it is time to get back to work!
Earlier this week, SMU polled steel buyers on an array of topics, ranging from market prices, demand, and inventories to imports and evolving market events. Rather than summarizing the comments we collected, we are sharing some of them in each buyer’s own words.
President-elect Donald Trump will officially retake the White House on Jan. 20. I’ve been getting questions about how his administration’s policies might reshape the steel industry and domestic manufacturing. I covered the tumult and norm busting of Trump's first term: Section 232, Section 301, USMCA - and that's just on the trade policy side of things. It's safe to say that we'll have no shortage of news in 2025 when it comes to trade and tariffs.
Prices for sheet and plate products were mixed this week. While market participants have noted a post-election uptick in activity, most said that it was (so far) nothing to write home about.
The total amount of finished steel to enter the US market in September fell to its lowest level in seven months, according to our analysis of recent Department of Commerce and the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) data
Worthington Steel has named Cliff Larivey as the company’s president of flat-rolled steel processing, effective Dec. 1. He will replace Jeff Klingler, who had been performing the role for the past year.
After rising to a one-year high in August, the volume of steel that exited the country in September fell 10% month on month (m/m) to 760,000 short tons (st).
Russel Metals Inc.’s profit shrank during the third quarter as steel prices continued to be volatile.
Sheet lead times are stable to slightly extended compared to late-October levels, but are down for all products relative to production times one month ago.
September steel imports were 10% less than August levels, marking the lowest monthly import rate seen this year
Most steel buyers polled in our market poll this week continue to report mills are open to negotiation on new order pricing. In fact, negotiation rates have been strong for the majority of 2024, trending higher since September.
Timna Tanners, managing director of equity research for Wolfe Research, will be the featured speaker on the next SMU Community Chat. The webinar will be on Wednesday, Nov. 13, at 11 am ET. It’s free to attend. You can register here. Timna – who has coined Sheet Storm, Scrap Squeeze, and Galv Galore – is one of the most popular guests on our Community Chats. Her insights and forecasts are always thought-provoking.
Votes were still being counted when this column posted on Tuesday evening. And I’d be surprised if we know who the president will be by the time some of you are reading it on Wednesday morning.
Nucor’s weekly consumer spot price (CSP) for hot-rolled coil was unchanged week on week at $740 per short ton as of Monday, Nov. 4.
Next week promises to be a big week for the country. Could even top the World Series (congrats to the Dodgers). As we all hold our breath to see what happens next, it’s a good time to reflect.
I joined in a Steel Market Update community chat last week. Predictably, many of the questions concerned the likely results of a Trump or Harris victory in the election. Like most people, I don’t know who will win. But by next week I probably will know. Here is my take, with an emphasis on steel policy. There are a surprising number of similarities between the Democratic and Republican candidates’ positions on steel policy. In part, that is because both candidates are going after the same voters—steel workers, whether unionized or not.
The premium galvanized-coil prices carry over hot-rolled (HR) coil continues to decline following the uptick seen earlier this year.
Earlier this week, SMU polled steel buyers on an array of topics, ranging from market prices, demand, and inventories to imports and evolving market events.
Nucor said it is seeking $740 per short ton (st) for hot-rolled (HR) coil this week, up $20/st from last week. USS, meanwhile, is shooting for up $30/st for sheet products in general. (USS did not announce a target price for HR.)
SMU price indices declined again this week for all products other than hot-rolled sheet. Our indices have trended lower across October, falling as much as $75 per short ton (st) in that time.
Primetals Technologies renewed two long-term maintenance service contracts with steel producers in the Americas.
September marked the lowest month for steel imports so far this year, according to preliminary Census data released by the Commerce Department.
Nucor has raised its weekly consumer spot price (CSP) for hot-rolled (HR) coil by $20 per short ton (st), now at $740/st as of Monday, Oct. 28.
Global steel mill output totaled 143.6 million metric tons (mt) in September, the lowest monthly rate recorded this year.
SMU’s Current Sentiment Index suggests steel buyers are still optimistic about their businesses’ ability to succeed in today’s market, though their confidence has significantly declined compared to recent months.
U.S. Steel plans to increase sheet prices by at least $30 per short ton (st). That's something we haven't seen for a while.
SSAB Americas plans to increase plate prices by at least $60 per short to, according to a letter to customers dated Thursday, Oct. 24. The higher prices are effective immediately for all new non-contract orders scheduled to ship on or after Dec. 2.
More than nine out of every 10 steel buyers polled by SMU this week reported that mills are flexible on prices for new orders. Negotiation rates have been strong since April and on the rise since early September.