NAFTA negotiators began round seven of talks in Mexico City on Sunday. The contentious rules-of-origin proposal was scheduled for three days of discussion but Jason Bernstein, the USTR’s chief negotiator on the issue, reportedly was called back to Washington after just one day. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer required Bernstein’s attendance at a “consultation” meeting […]
Sales of new single-family homes dropped in January to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 593,000, according to the latest Department of Commerce data. January sales were 7.8 percent below December and 1 percent below the January 2017 rate. During the last three months, the average sales rate was 644,000. The median sales price was […]
President Trump is favoring a 24 percent global tariff on steel imports, according to sources reported by multiple media outlets. Trump’s pick for Section 232 aluminum trade restrictions is a 10 percent tariff on all aluminum imports. The rumors are contrary to analysts’ expectations of a more targeted tariff on imports. Broad-based tariffs are likely […]
President Trump is favoring a 24 percent global tariff on steel imports, according to sources reported by multiple media outlets. Trump’s pick for Section 232 aluminum trade restrictions is a 10 percent tariff on all aluminum imports. The rumors are contrary to analysts’ expectations of a more targeted tariff on imports. Broad-based tariffs are likely […]
Ironically, the Department of Defense is among the least enthusiastic about the Section 232 investigations into the impact of steel and aluminum imports on national security. After reviewing a draft of the Section 232 report last year, the DoD determined that trade restrictions proposed by Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross would “unnecessarily vex U.S. allies.” The […]
The American Institute of Architects’ Architecture Billings Index (ABI) posted its highest January score since 2007. Considered a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI registered 54.7 last month, up from 52.8 in December. Scores above 50 indicate growth in billings. “Healthy conditions continue across all sectors and regions except the Northeast, where firm […]
Russel Metals has announced it will acquire the operating assets and facilities of DuBose Steel in Roseboro and Fayetteville, N.C. DuBose Steel is a full-line structural steel service center operation with value-added processing capabilities serving customers in the Southeast and along the East Coast. The company posted revenues of $66.8 million in its last fiscal […]
Ternium has extended its agreement to supply steel slabs to AM/NS Calvert for an additional 12 months, until December 2020. During Ternium’s fourth-quarter earnings call, CEO Daniel Novegil said Ternium Brazil will deliver the remaining 3.5 million metric tons of slab in annual increments of 1.2 million tons per year instead of 2.0 million tons […]
NLMK USA’s fourth-quarter sales and shipments dropped 3 percent from the third quarter due to expected seasonality. Sales totaled $410 million on shipments of 550,000 metric tons. Prices in the fourth quarter were flat due to uncertainty surrounding the pending Section 232 investigation. For full-year 2017, NLMK USA sales increased 21 percent from 2016 to […]
Canadian steel mill Stelco held its first earnings call since becoming a publically held company and reported stellar results for the fourth quarter. The company, formerly owned by U.S. Steel, presented a strong balance sheet, no debt and no legacy liabilities. Revenue for the quarter increased 45 percent from a year ago to $452 million. […]
Existing home sales fell for the second consecutive month in January, dropping 3.2 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.38 million, according to data from the National Association of Realtors. Compared to a year ago sales are down 4.8 percent, the steepest decline since 5.5 percent in August 2014. Inventory rose 4.1 percent […]
A majority of metalforming companies surveyed in the February Precision Metalforming Association Business Conditions Report expect improvement in economic activity during the next three months. The latest report showed 97 percent anticipate better conditions going forward. “The Trump administration has shown strong leadership on important policy initiatives like tax reform and infrastructure, which give confidence […]
The possible forthcoming Section 232 decisions on steel and aluminum imports have alarmed nations across the globe. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said he “wouldn’t be surprised if there were retaliations to the measures,” but perhaps he underestimated the negative response to his recommendations. Numerous countries have expressed concern for their own domestic markets, while others […]
The American Institute for International Steel, which represents foreign steelmakers, called the Commerce Department’s recommendations in the Section 232 report on steel imports “excessive and unnecessary” and warned of global retaliation that would push the U.S. and world toward a recession. AIIS Board Chairman John Foster issued the following statement on Monday: “The recommendations in […]
Tom Clarke is trying to make friends on the Iron Range. Clarke, owner of iron ore facilities Magnetation and Mesabi Metallics, sent letters to all the United Steelworker locals in the Iron Range pledging to unionize Mesabi Metallics and not to displace any other iron ore operations with his own. The Duluth News Tribune reports […]
Reaction by American trade associations and producers to Friday’s Commerce Department recommendations on Section 232 was mostly favorable and encouraged swift action. The Steel Manufacturers Association applauded the recommendations laid out by Secretary Wilbur Ross in the Section 232 steel report: “Secretary Ross has accurately concluded that steel imports threaten to impair our national security […]
Recommendations from the U.S. Commerce Department calling for potential tariffs and quotas on steel and aluminum imports under Section 232 elicited a strong global reaction including trepidation, anger and threats of retaliation. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said during a conference call Friday he wouldn’t be surprised if there were retaliations to the measures, adding that […]
Liberty Steel, part of the GFG Alliance, will start recruiting workers for its recently acquired mill in Georgetown, S.C. The company hopes to restart production in the second quarter, following maintenance and upgrade of equipment and rampup of its electric arc furnace to full capacity as soon as feasible. Over the remainder of 2018, Liberty […]
Housing starts in January jumped 9.7 percent from December to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,326,000, according to data released by the Department of Commerce. Construction of homes of five units or more surged 19.7 percent, while single-family starts climbed 3.7 percent. Starts increased across three of the four U.S. regions, but dropped by […]
February shipping is fraught with higher rates, low capacity and shipping delays. The trucking industry is battling a dwindling labor pool and ELD disruptions that are making rail disruptions more difficult and even causing ocean carriers to take notice. Seaborne freight Vessel freight rates are expected to rise for contracts priced for March and April, […]
Reliance Steel and Aluminum Co. is seeing growing demand across all its product segments and expects that trend to continue through 2018. Reliance reported a strong fourth quarter with net sales up 15.3 percent year-over-year to $2.38 billion. Third-quarter sales were somewhat lower due to expected seasonality. Fourth-quarter shipments totaled 1,451,000 tons, up 6.3 percent […]
Manufacturing activity continued to expand in New York State, but at a slower pace in February. The Empire State Manufacturing Survey general business index dipped five points to 13.1. A slight increase in new orders was offset by a similar decrease in shipments. Unfilled orders increased slightly and delivery times lengthened. Input prices jumped in […]
Tariffs are an option to stop steel dumping, said President Donald Trump at a bipartisan meeting of legislators this morning. “I want to keep prices down, but I want to make sure that we have a steel industry,” said Trump, according to a Bloomberg report. “Part of the options would be tariffs coming in. As […]
At a meeting with lawmakers this morning, President Donald Trump said imposing tariffs is an option for stopping the dumping of steel and aluminum into the U.S. “I want to keep prices down, but I want to make sure that we have a steel industry,” said Trump, according to a Bloomberg report. “Part of the […]
Fifteen trade associations, representing more than 30,000 U.S. steel-using manufacturers and employing one million American workers, sent a letter to President Trump and other senior trade officials last night in advance of the meeting between the administration and legislators regarding Section 232. The letter warns that restrictions on basic steel imports will “adversely impact national […]
The Department of Commerce announced on Tuesday the initiation of new antidumping duty and countervailing duty investigations on imports of large-diameter welded pipe from Canada, China, Greece, India, Korea, and Turkey. Dumping margins were estimated by the petitioners at 50.89 percent for Canada, 41.04 percent for Greece, 120.84 to 132.63 percent for China, 37.94 percent […]
Fifteen trade associations, representing more than 30,000 U.S. steel-using manufacturers and employing one million American workers, sent a letter to President Trump and other senior trade officials last night in advance of the meeting between the administration and lawmakers regarding Section 232. The letter warns that restrictions on basic steel imports will “adversely impact national […]
The White House released its infrastructure plan this week offering $200 billion in federal funds, far short of the $1 trillion promised during the Trump election campaign. The plan is to “stimulate” $1.5 trillion in investment over the next 10 years to be accomplished through a combination of incentives, asset divesture and reductions in regulations. […]
The release of President Trump’s infrastructure plan drew mixed responses from trade groups involved with the steel industry. Although all support the much-needed infrastructure work, several question the president’s plan to fund it. Thomas J. Gibson, president and CEO of the American Iron and Steel Institute supported the streamlining of permits proposed in the plan. […]
The American Institute for International Steel, which represents foreign steel producers, sent a letter to President Trump on Thursday on behalf of the 1.3 million people who depend on steel imports for their livelihoods. AIIS President Richard Chriss urged the administration not to impose new tariffs and quotas on imported steel products that would benefit […]