Global steel prices are dropping fast and starting to approach the magical $650-per-ton mark, which is the estimated total cost of producing one ton of steel, according to steel industry consultants World Steel Dynamics. As a result of the sharp drop in steel prices and profits for mills, raw steel production is dropping [...]

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There is no doubt that volatility in the steel market has shifted the balance of power in recent years. Granted the recent drops in steel price will change the dynamics between buyers and suppliers yet again, as mills struggle to maintain their profit margins. But during the recent price run up, mills set the precedent [...]

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I recently wrote about the dollar gaining strength and the plummeting price of steel. It’s a welcome change after years of hearing a broken record on direct materials…higher prices…higher prices…higher prices…
Naturally, when purchasing power goes up and prices go down, buyers want to act on the opportunity, and many ask “is now is the time [...]

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It’s that time of the quarter again when I get a chance to take a step back, gather my thoughts and scour through the data as I write the metals category article for SupplyWatch. As you can guess…there’s a LOT to talk about this quarter. Plummeting commodity prices, a global credit crisis and an underlying [...]

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So far the steel industry trends to watch next year have been extensions or acceleration of current conditions - Industry Consolidation and Vertical Integration. Both are extremely important for buyers to monitor since they have short and long term impacts on steel price and supply. But our third trend to watch in 2009, Steel Futures, [...]

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