New orders for durable goods (ADG), were flat month on month (m/m), in June at $236.0 billion. On a three month moving average (3MMA), assessment, ADG increased by 0.5% m/m and was up 3.2% year on year (y/y). Most of the monthly gains originated from strong nondefense aircraft orders. Excluding transportation, orders rose 0.2% m/m [...]
The pace of U.S. economic growth improved in June. The CFNAI scored 0.13, rebounding nicely from a negative 0.30 in May. On a three month moving average (3MMA), the CFNAI stayed in expansionary territory, (+0.06). Three of the four sub-indexes that make up the headline index made a positive contribution in June. Sales, orders and inventories [...]
Referencing Realtytrac, there were a total of 428,400 U.S. properties with foreclosure filings, default notices, scheduled auctions or bank repossessions in the first six months of 2017, down 20% from the same time period a year ago and down 28% from the same time period two years ago. Figure 1 shows U.S. home foreclosure filings [...]
The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Composite index jumped 3.8 points in July to 121.1 points, the highest level since March and 25% higher year on year (y/y). On a three month moving average (3MMA), basis the index measured 118.7, +0.6 points month on month (m/m). For reference, the index was 100 in the base year [...]
Raw steel production for the week ending July 22nd, 2017 was 1.773 tons at capacity utilization of 76.1%, its highest levels since June 2016. The most recent four week capacity utilization rate edged-up to 74.9% at an average production rate pf 1.747M tons per week. Year to date (YTD), US steel production averaged 1.736 million [...]
The U.S. labor market is performing well. Initial claims for unemployment insurance benefits remain at a historically low level. New seasonally adjusted (SA), filings for unemployment insurance benefits fell by 15,000 to 233,000 for the week ending July 15th, while the four week moving average was 243,750. On a non-seasonally (NSA), adjusted basis, new claims fell [...]
Manufacturing capacity utilization (MCU), came in at 75.4% in June, flat month on month (m/m), up 0.3 percentage point year on year (y/y). Year to date (YTD), MCU has stayed in a very narrow range (75.3 to 75.7%), averaging 75.4%. Figure 1, charts capacity utilization from 2010 to present. It has progressed in a very [...]
U.S. service center total carbon steel shipments increased by 3.2% year on year (y/y), in June on a three month moving average (3MMA), basis. This was an encouraging trend as it was the sixth consecutive monthly shipment increase. Table 1 shows percentage change results for shipments, daily intake and inventory level. In all cases the [...]
The national ABI score for June was 54.2, up 2.2 points above May’s score, (> 50 indicates an increase in billings). The ABI has been greater than 50 for five of months in a row and for nine of the last 12 months. The new projects inquiry index was 58.6, down 3.8 points month on [...]
Worldsteel Association (WSA) reports that global crude steel production totaled 141,046 million tonnes (Mt) at a capacity utilization rate (CUR) of 73.0% in June. This was 4.843 Mt greater than June 2016 at a 3.6 percentage point higher CUR than last years’ 69.4%. On a three month moving average (3MMA), basis, the rate of annualized [...]
