SMU Market Trends: Tough April Ahead; Rebound by Q4?

Executives from service centers and manufacturing companies report widespread order cancellations as customers scale back or shut down to stem the spread of COVID-19. Companies anticipate their sales will be off anywhere from 25-80 percent in April, compared with the same month last year.

When will business start to return to normal? The most hopeful among the respondents is anticipating a June turnaround, the least hopeful (most realistic perhaps) not until sometime next year. Most are rooting for a rebound by the late third or fourth quarter.