US reduces tariffs on Turkey to 25 percent
The White House has announced that the 50 percent duty on Turkish steel imports has been halved to 25 percent as of May 17. In a statement, the administration said that since the implementation of the higher tariff, steel imports from Turkey declined 48 percent in 2018, “with the result that the domestic industry’s capacity utilization has improved at this point to approximately the target level recommended” in the initial DOC report... Read More
Short Range Outlook : May 2019
Global long steel market mostly unstable despite supply-demand equilibrium A balance has been maintained between supply and demand in the global long steel products market, but it is still difficult to transact business globally. However, shorter-distance regional business is good. The global market can be described as mostly unstable, with only a few exceptions. Absence of Chinese still provides support for the rest of the world We have to take into... Read More
IREPAS in Barcelona : Protectionism, raw materials and Turkey top the agenda
The 80th meeting of IREPAS (International Rebar Exporters and Producers Association) was held in Barcelona, Spain on April 7-9, 2019. There were 132 producer representatives among the 416 registered delegates from a total of 48 different countries. There were also 70 registrations representing 40 different raw material suppliers. At the opening of the conference Murat Cebecioglu, chairman of IREPAS, said that IREPAS firmly believes in, has supported... Read More
Short Range Outlook : March 2019
Positive mood prevails in global long steel products market despite virus of protectionism The global long steel products market is currently in a positive mood amid good demand worldwide. Had there not been protectionist actions like additional tariffs, quotas or safeguard measures, the global business scenario would be much better. Protectionism is like a virus, expanding and hurting the international trade environment as we knew it. Canada and... Read More
Canada exempts Mexico from safeguard measures on wire rod imports
Canadian finance minister Bill Morneau has exempted NAFTA ally Mexico from controversial safeguard measures on imports of energy tubular products and wire rod, as reported by Canada-based CBC News. Accordingly, the imports of these products from Mexico will no longer cost an extra 25 percent, effective as of February 2, 2019. The duties already paid by Mexican steel purchasers will be refunded. Finance minister Morneau’s spokesperson Pierre-Olivier... Read More
Short Range Outlook : February 2019
Price levels improve in global long steel products market despite uncertainties Prices in the global long steel products market are better compared to our last report, though there is a certain degree of uncertainty regarding how sustainable the current price levels are. The situation has gotten worse generally in terms of demand and supply, as there seems to be a general worsening of expectations and the numbers coming in do not bode well. Brazilian... Read More
Short Range Outlook : January 2019
Is globalization of the world’s long steel products market now at an end? The global long steel products market is heading towards a more complicated and difficult period as the globalization of the steel business is being rewound amid a clash between liberal and protectionist trade policies that are somehow tied to political ups and downs between world leaders. It seems that global business will be relatively quiet as long as protective measures... Read More
Short Range Outlook : December 2018
Global long steel market facing many unknowns amid protectionism and price corrections There is huge uncertainty in the global long steel products market as there are a lot of unknowns against the backdrop of protectionist measures and price corrections. US-China ceasefire may reduce volatility in international market The trade dispute between the US and China has been kicked down the road for another 90 days. The ceasefire in the trade war between... Read More
Short Range Outlook : November 2018
Global long steel industry in better position now despite tariffs and other issues The global long steel products market has been off balance recently, and the general situation has gotten marginally worse. One of the leading indicators of the worsening in the market is that the current Turkish spread between import scrap and rebar prices is now the lowest value observed since August 2017. The number shows a downward movement of $55/mt from the peak... Read More
US ITC votes to maintain antidumping duties on rebar imports from seven countries
The US International Trade Commission (ITC) today determined that revoking the existing antidumping duty orders on imports of steel concrete reinforcing bar from Belarus, China, Indonesia, Latvia, Moldova, Poland, and Ukraine would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury within a reasonably foreseeable time. Current AD margins are as follows: Country AD margin Belarus ... Read More