Lewis Leibowitz, trade attorney and contributor to Steel Market Update, offers the following commentary on the latest developments in Washington: A rather eventful few days on the tariff and legal fronts: Final list of $200 billion in trade value of imports from China: The USTR announced the final list (“list 3”) of $200 billion in […]
U.S. raw steel production slipped by a slight 0.9 percent last week, nudging the mill capability utilization rate back below 80 percent once again. The American Iron and Steel Institute reported an average utilization rate for the week ending Sept. 15 of 79.4 percent, down from the 80.2 percent level in the prior week. But steel […]
U.S. raw steel production finally topped the 80 percent capaciity utilization level the industry considers necessary for sustainable profitability. The American Iron and Steel Institute reported a utilization rate for the week ending Sept. 8 of 80.2 percent, up from 79.8 percent in the prior week, and up from 73.4 percent the same week one […]
U.S. steel mills shipped 7,911,228 net tons in July, a 5.8 percent increase from the 7,480,241 net tons shipped in July 2017, but a 1.0 percent decrease from shipments in the previous month, reports the American Iron and Steel Institute in Washington. Shipments year-to-date in 2018 totaled 55,215,285 net tons, a 4.3 percent increase vs. […]
Economic indicators of manufacturing activity continue to look favorable for the rest of 2018. This report summarizes nine data sources that describe the state of manufacturing in the United States. We have reported on most of these separately in our Steel Market Update publications, and therefore will be brief in this summary. We don’t expect […]
U.S. raw steel production continues to surpass previous highs, just a hair away from the 80 percent capability utilization level sought by the industry. The American Iron and Steel Institute reported a utilization rate for the week ending Sept. 1 of 79.8 percent, up from 79.3 percent in the prior week, and up from 75.4 […]
The American Iron and Steel Institute reported a mill capability utilization rate for the week ending Aug. 25 of 79.3 percent, down slightly from 79.5 percent in the prior week, but up from 75.8 percent in the same week last year. Raw steel production for the week ending Aug. 25 totaled 1,858,000 net tons, the sixth week in a […]
U.S. mill capability utilization hit another new high for the year last week, moving closer to the 80 percent level sought by the industry. The American Iron and Steel Institute reported a utilization rate for the week ending Aug. 18 of 79.5 percent, up from 79.1 percent in the prior week, and up from 75.8 […]
U.S. mill capability utilization hit a new high for the year last week, inching closer to the industry’s desired 80 percent mark. The American Iron and Steel Institute reported a utilization rate for the week ending Aug. 11 of 79.1 percent, up from 78.0 percent in the prior week, and up from 75.8 percent in […]
What would ultimately be best for the environment: strict fuel efficiency standards that will dramatically reduce the tailpipe emissions from new vehicles or more achievable standards that will add less cost to each vehicle and allow more drivers to upgrade and get older gas guzzlers off the road? Over the strong objections of environmental groups […]
U.S. raw steel production remained above the 1.8 million ton mark for the third week in a row, reports the American Iron and Steel Institute in Washington. Raw steel output for the week ending Aug. 4 totaled 1,828,000 net tons, a 4.3 percent increase from the same period last year, but down 0.4 percent from […]
There are no clouds on manufacturing’s horizon. Economic indicators of manufacturing activity are virtually all positive for the remainder of 2018, according to Steel Market Update’s analysis of nine data sources that describe the state of manufacturing in the United States. We have reported on most of these separately in our Steel Market Update publications, […]
U.S. raw steel production topped the 1.8 million ton mark for the second week in a row and mill utilization, at 78.3 percent, almost equaled this year’s peak of 78.7 percent achieved in March, reports the American Iron and Steel Institute in Washington. Raw steel output for the week ending July 28 totaled 1,836,000 net […]
The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) believes the Trump administration’s Section 232 tariffs will survive the legal challenge filed by the American Institute of International Steel (AIIS) last month. “We believe this case is without merit and we are confident the court will reject this challenge to the constitutionality of the Section 232 statute,” […]
U.S. raw steel production last week topped the 1.8 million ton mark for the first time since March, reports the American Iron and Steel Institute in Washington. Raw steel output for the week ending July 21 totaled 1,815,000 net tons, a 4.7 percent increase from the same period last year and up 1.8 percent from […]
U.S. raw steel production for the week ending July 14 totaled 1,783,000 net tons, a 2.9 percent increase from the same period last year but down 0.5 percent from the previous week. The mill capability utilization rate for the July 14 week averaged 76.1 percent, down from 76.4 percent in the prior week but up […]
Raw steel production for the week ending July 7 totaled 1,792,000 net tons, a 3.4 percent increase from the same period last year and up 0.6 percent from the previous week. The mill capability utilization rate for the July 7 week averaged 76.4 percent, up from 76.0 percent in the prior week and 74.3 percent […]
Raw steel production for the week ending June 30 totaled 1,781,000 net tons, a 1.9 percent increase from the same period last year and up 0.5 percent from the previous week. The mill capability utilization rate for the June 30 week averaged 76.0 percent, up from 75.6 percent in the prior week and 74.9 percent […]
Economic indicators of manufacturing activity continue to look favorable for the rest of 2018. This report summarizes seven data sources that describe the state of manufacturing in the United States. We have reported on most of these separately in our Steel Market Update publications and therefore will be brief in this summary. We don’t expect […]
Raw steel production for the week ending June 23 totaled 1,772,000 net tons, a 1.4 percent increase from the same period last year and up 1.8 percent from the previous week. The mill capability utilization rate for the June 23 week averaged 75.6 percent, up slightly from 74.2 percent in the prior week and 74.9 […]
Raw steel production for the week ending June 16 totaled 1,740,000 net tons, a 0.4 percent decrease from the same period last year and down 0.7 percent from the previous week, but little changed from week to week since briefly topping the 1.8 million ton mark in March and April. The mill capability utilization rate […]
U.S. steel mills shipped 7,798,326 net tons in April, a 6.0 percent decrease from the 8,299,418 net tons shipped in the previous month, and a 5.0 percent increase from the 7,428,080 net tons shipped in April 2017, reported the American Iron and Steel Institute in Washington. Shipments in the first four months of 2018 totaled […]
Raw steel production for the week ending June 9 totaled 1,753,000 net tons, a 0.3 percent increase from the same period last year, but down 0.1 percent from the previous week. Weekly raw steel production has leveled out at an average around 1.77 million tons since briefly topping the 1.8 million ton mark in March […]
Steel production for the week ending June 2 totaled 1,755,000 net tons, a 1.7 percent increase from the same period last year, but down 1.9 percent from the previous week. The mill capability utilization rate for the June 2 week averaged 74.9 percent, down from 76.3 percent the prior week but up slightly from 74.0 […]
Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross has made it official—there will be no tariff exemptions for Canada, Mexico, and the European Union. In a briefing on Thursday, Ross said the tariffs of 25 percent on imports of steel and 10 percent on imports of aluminum will go into effect at midnight. Argentina, Brazil, Australia and South Korea […]
The American iron and steel industry supports nearly two million jobs and contributes more than $520 billion to the U.S. economy, when considering the direct, indirect (supplier) and induced impacts of related commerce, claims a study released last week by the research firm John Dunham & Associates. The study also shows that the iron and […]
Manufacturing activity in the U.S. remains robust and economic indicators continue to point to a strong 2018, according to Steel Market Update’s latest analysis. This report summarizes seven data sources that describe the state of manufacturing in the United States. We have reported on most of these separately in our Steel Market Update publications, and […]
Steel production for the week ending May 26 totaled 1,789,000 net tons, a 4.1 percent increase from the same period last year, and up 0.8 percent from the previous week. The mill capability utilization rate for the May 26 week averaged 76.3 percent, up from 75.7 percent the prior week and 73.7 percent the prior […]
Steel production for the week ending May 19 totaled 1,775,000 net tons, a 3.3 percent increase from the same period last year, and up 1.6 percent from the previous week. The mill capability utilization rate for the May 19 week averaged 75.7 percent, up from 74.5 percent the prior week and 73.7 percent the prior […]
The U.S. steel industry continues to find new ways to help automakers lighten vehicles for better fuel efficiency. One of the latest developments is by ArcelorMittal in partnership with Honda. Engineers from the two companies designed the industry’s first hot-stamped, laser-welded inner and outer door ring using ultra-high-strength steel. The system replaces conventional multi-piece, spot […]