Brett Linton

2 days ago | steelmarketupdate.com | Brett Linton

May license data indicate a partial recovery. But import volumes remain on the low side compared to recent years. Recall that imports spiked up to 3.08 million short tons (st) in January of this year, the highest monthly rate seen since April 2022. Imports have trended lower since then, with April volumes falling 17% month over month (m/m) to 2.08 million st. May license data suggests a potential 14% recovery, bringing imports back to levels seen in late 2024 (Figure 1, left).

3 days ago | steelmarketupdate.com | Brett Linton

If you’re looking for a quick summary, we used ChatGPT to analyze all of the responses and identify four key themes:Tariff volatility is disrupting expectations, with buyers split on whether pricing will rise, rebound, or continue to decline through summer. Demand remains soft or declining, driven by uncertainty, cautious purchasing, and buyer attempts to time falling prices. Inventories are sluggish, moving slower than last year for most, as buyers minimize exposure and hold off on restocking.

4 days ago | steelmarketupdate.com | Brett Linton

SMU’s Monthly Review provides a summary of our key steel market metrics for the previous month, with the latest data updated through May 30. Steel prices continued to edge lower throughout the month of May, though the rate of declines slowed in the last two weeks of the month. Overall, sheet and plate prices fell $45-$65 per short ton (st) across May. SMU’s Price Momentum Indicator remained at Lower for both sheet and plate products following its late-April adjustment from Neutral.

1 week ago | steelmarketupdate.com | Brett Linton

SMU’s average hot-rolled coil (HRC) price eased $5 per short ton (st) this week to $840/st. Prices have trended lower since late March, though the pace of declines has slowed in recent weeks. Our galvanized index also declined $5/st this week to $1,010/st (base). Galvanized prices have eased since their mid-March peak, with some loss of momentum in the last two weeks. Figure 1 shows the pricing relationship between these two products since 2022.

1 week ago | steelmarketupdate.com | Brett Linton

SMU’s average hot-rolled coil (HRC) price eased $5 per short ton (st) this week to $840/st. Prices have trended lower since late March, though the pace of declines has slowed in recent weeks. Our galvanized index also declined $5/st this week to $1,010/st (base). Galvanized prices have eased since their mid-March peak, with some loss of momentum in the last two weeks. Figure 1 shows the pricing relationship between these two products since 2022.