SMU Steel Buyers Sentiment Index: Troubling Signs...

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 to be a forward-looking index for the flat rolled steel communities. It is that “forward-looking” part of our index that is providing some concerns as we review the past few months results.

Buyers and sellers of flat rolled steel felt a little better about their company’s ability to be success this week compared to what we reporting as single data points over the past two months. The industry continues to be well within the optimistic portion of our range with the single data point measuring Current Sentiment at +73 and Future Sentiment at +62 this week.