SMU Analysis: Key Market Indicators Strong in February

Key market indicators were strong in February, but trends have been deteriorating for a year.

This report summarizes 36 data streams that we believe critically describe the state of and provide forward guidance for the steel market. The government statistics departments are gradually catching up after the shutdown, but their revised schedules indicate that it will be the middle of April before all data streams are back on track. In this report of SMU’s 36 key indicators, 11 have no data more current than October. The other 25 are up to date. The missing data includes all the trade, market size and most of the construction results. The resultant incomplete data shows that 22 of the 36 indicators are historically positive with only three negative. The balance is within the band of historically normal. Trends also improved as 23 of the 36 moved positively.