The Conference Board Leading Economic Index Increased in September The Conference Board Leading Economic Index (LEI) for the US increased 0.5 percent in September following a 0.4 percent August increase and a 0.7 percent increase in July. The LEI improved further in September, suggesting the US business cycle remains on a strong growth trajectory heading into [...]
Texas Manufacturing Activity Maintained Strong Momentum in August Texas manufacturing activity maintained strong momentum in August, reports the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas Texas Manufacturing Outlook Survey for August 2018, according to business executives responding to the survey. Perceptions of broader business conditions remained highly positive. Chicago Fed National Activity Index (CFNAI) Declined in July [...]
Steel Dynamics Announced Base Price Increase Steel Dynamics (SDI) announced a base price increase for Special Bar Quality (SBQ) products of $50/per ton ($2.50/cwt) effective with September 1 shipments. I'm sure the other hot mills and drawing mills will follow with their own announcements soon enough. Chicago Fed National Activity Index (CFNAI) Rebounded in June [...]
Chicago Business Barometer Highest Level Since January The Chicago Business Barometer at highest level since January, rose to 64.1 in June. New orders were up for the second straight month while prices paid reached their highest level since May 2011. Lead times and backlogs also increased in June. Texas Factory Activity Continued in June The [...]
May 2018 Empire State Manufacturing Survey Reports Business Activity Grew Strongly The Federal Reserve Bank of New York released its May 2018 Empire State Manufacturing Survey and reports business activity grew strongly in New York State, according to firms responding to the survey. The headline general business conditions index climbed four points. The new orders [...]
Timken Steel Raised SBQ Prices In a leading move, Timken Steel raised SBQ prices. The Canton, Ohio company raised its special bar quality (SBQ) product prices by $50-$150 per ton effective Wednesday March 28, 2018. This comes after SBQ mills in the USA slated base price increases effective with April 1 shipments. US producers raised SBQ [...]
Caterpillar Sales and Profit Forecast Raised Caterpillar sales and profit forecast raised as demand for construction and mining equipment has grown. WSJ Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Increased at an Annual Rate of 3.0 Percent Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 3.0 percent in the third quarter of 2017, according [...]
Highest Shipments Index Since December 2010 Reported by Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond Fifth District Survey of Manufacturing Activity for September Supported by a sizeable increase in the index for shipments-which, at a reading of 22, is the highest shipments index since December 2010, the composite manufacturing index rose from 14 to 19, according to [...]
Nucor Steel Raising SBQ Prices $40 Per Ton Nucor Steel raising SBQ prices for Special Bar Quality hot rolled products by $40 per ton becomes effective with October 1 shipments. The higher transactional pricing covers all hot rolled carbon and alloy bar as well as hot rolled heat treated bar. The move follows Timken [...]
Gerdau SA Pushed More Leaded Bar Steel Sales into U.S. Gerdau SA pushed more leaded bar steel sales into the United States, exporting from its Brazilian special steel mills, according to one special bar quality (SBQ) market source. Hot rolled leaded steels have been pushed as a growth niche by Gerdau management, partly as other [...]
