SMU Steel Buyers Sentiment: No Lag in Optimism

While other measures of economic recovery still lag their pre-pandemic levels, that is not the case with the sentiment among steel buyers. Attitudes among buyers are already more positive than they were before COVID struck last year, and optimism levels are nearly the highest ever recorded in the 13 years that Steel Market Update has been gathering this data.

Every two weeks, SMU asks steel buyers how they view their company’s chances for success in the current environment, as well as three to six months in the future. SMU’s Current Buyers Sentiment Index saw a seven-point bump to a reading of +73 this week—just five points shy of the index peak of +78 in January 2018. SMU’s Future Sentiment Index ticked down by two points to a reading of +65—still within striking distance of the historical high of +77 in February 2018.