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| Hikes in steel prices have affected contract customers more than most |
18 April 2005 - MEPS (International)
Many large three monthly contract buyers have felt let down by the steel producers in recent years and some consider that they are being penalised for their loyalty. |
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| EU average carbon steel prices - latest forecasts from MEPS |
08 April 2005 - MEPS (International)
The general weak market conditions in the strip mill segment extended into March - as customers held back on ordering due to high inventories. |
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| North American average carbon steel prices - latest forecasts from MEPS |
06 April 2005 - MEPS (International)
In the flat products category, the North American average value fell in March. The market continues to be soft. Demand is mediocre for most strip mill products but prices are holding up for cold rolled and coated products. The mills have been able to counter the recent falls in scrap prices by rises in basis values in the US. |
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| WORLD STEEL PRICES TO RISE FURTHER BEFORE ENDING THE YEAR DOWN |
31 March 2005 - MEPS (International)
The MEPS World All Products Steel Price was in decline through January and February. A pick up occurred in March and is likely to continue into the third quarter before drifting downwards by the end of the year and beyond. |
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| EU steel prices under threat as customers stop buying |
23 March 2005 - MEPS (International)
European steel prices across the board are showing declines in March - a development that has come as a surprise to those of us who were expecting the first few months of 2005 to see steady market conditions. |
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| International Steel Market Roundup - March 2005 |
10 March 2005 - MEPS (International)
The monthly roundup of the steel marekt from MEPS International. |
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| MEPS North American Carbon Steel Price Forecast for February 2005 |
10 March 2005 - MEPS (International)
Flat product prices had been in decline for five consecutive months. With
ore and coke suppliers demanding substantial price hikes in latest
settlements, the mills will make every effort to recover some of the extra
costs. The price decrease is expected to be halted soon and put into
reverse. |
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| MEPS Asian Carbon Steel Price Forecast for February 2005 |
09 March 2005 - MEPS (International)
In the flat products sector, the higher than expected raw material cost
increases have prompted us to significantly uprate our forecasts for the
next twelve months. |
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| EU average carbon steel price forecast for February 2005 |
07 March 2005 - MEPS (International)
In the flat products category, the general weak market tendency for strip mill products continued into February, as customers held back on ordering due to high inventories. |
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| Integrated steelmakers to take larger share of output in the future |
04 March 2005 - MEPS (International)
MEPS (International) forecasts that world output will increase for the two main categories of steel manufacturing in its updated report 'Global Iron & Steel Production to 2008'. However, oxygen steelmaking will take a greater percentage of the total in 2008. Whilst electric and other processes will continue to slip. |
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| Global steel production will climb to 1.16 billion tonnes over next four years |
03 March 2005 - MEPS (International)
MEPS (International) Ltd predicts further growth in output of iron and steel
over the next four years in its updated report 'Global Iron and Steel
Production to 2008'. However, the company warns that the rate of expansion
is likely to be at a much slower pace than in recent years. |
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| Substitution in stainless sector adversely affecting nickel demand |
02 March 2005 - MEPS (International)
The high and volatile prices of the alloy metals that go into stainless
steel are causing massive problems for both producers and consumers. Nickel
of course is the chief culprit; its price during last year ranged from a
peak of almost $US18,000 per tonne to a low of around $US10,500 per tonne. |
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| Rising Imports and High Inventories are Threatening EU Steel Prices |
01 March 2005 - MEPS (International)
Increases in European steel values have made the EU the most expensive market in the world. This is having the inevitable consequence of attracting larger volumes of imports. We saw last year how the USA - which had the world's highest prices for much of the period - acted like a magnet for steel and imports jumped by more than 50 percent year-on-year. Consequently, US steel values slackened towards the end of 2004. The EU market might soon be in a similar position. |
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| Steel Price Hikes Enough to Counter Ore and Coal Cost Increases |
28 February 2005 - MEPS (International)
The world's steel mills should be able to absorb recent coal and ore price
hikes. |
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| Meticulous Planning Required to Roll out New Trends in Plastics Design |
28 February 2005 - Frost & Sullivan
Cost-effective, innovative plastics designs are the result of painstaking planning. In order for the plastics industrial design (ID) to flow into the next generation, researchers usually follow a three-step process - scouting the next trend, blending ID with design engineering, and cultivating the celebrity designer crossover. |
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| Rising Imports and High Inventories are Threatening EU Steel Prices |
21 February 2005 - MEPS (International)
Increases in European steel values have made the EU the most expensive market in the world. This is having the inevitable consequence of attracting larger volumes of imports. We saw last year how the USA - which had the world's highest prices for much of the period - acted like a magnet for steel and imports jumped by more than 50 percent year-on-year. Consequently, US steel values slackened towards the end of 2004. The EU market might soon be in a similar position. |
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| International Steel Market Roundup - February 2005 |
09 February 2005 - MEPS (International)
Long product prices in the EU have fallen sharply since our last investigation in December. A drop in the price of scrap in recent weeks has been the main influence in this trend. Bar and rod prices have fallen in the two new EU entrants, reported in this report, over the past month. The onset of Winter weather and only modest construction growth have impacted on selling values. |
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| No cheap steel expected in the medium term |
26 January 2005 - MEPS (International)
It is becoming ever clearer that steel producers and consumers can expect no relief, in the near term at least, from the upward pressure of costs for steelmaking raw materials and other inputs. While steel production rates continue rising, raw material supplies will remain tight, and that means higher costs. |
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| Steel production record will be beaten again in 2005 |
26 January 2005 - MEPS (International)
World crude steel production in 2004 will be close to 1050 million tonnes - an increase of 85 million tonnes (8.8 percent) on the figure recorded in the previous twelve months - following rises of 6.2 and 6.7 percent in the preceding two years, according to forecasts from MEPS. |
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| International Steel Market Roundup - January 2005 |
12 January 2005 - MEPS (International)
This article has been extracted from the December issue of MEPS International Steel Review |
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| Asian average carbon steel price forecast for December 2004 |
11 January 2005 - MEPS (International)
The further strong rise in the value of most Asian steel prices has prompted MEPS to lift its forecasts. |
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| EU average carbon steel price forecast for December 2004 |
11 January 2005 - MEPS (International)
In the flat products category, EU purchasers are waiting as long as possible before committing themselves to forward orders for delivery in the first quarter. Many companies have high inventories to take them into the New Year. |
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| North American average carbon steel price forecast for December 2004 |
11 January 2005 - MEPS (International)
In the flat products category, inventories in the US are nearly double the figure recorded at this time last year, while the Canadian market activity remains subdued. |
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| Improved margins for stainless producers through 2004
|
04 January 2005 - MEPS (International)
Stainless steel prices have been expanding for the past three years. For much of the time, price hikes have recovered only the cost of raw materials. The picture changed in 2004. The mills have been able to increase the margin between the selling price and input costs. |
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| Steel prices up by 150 percent in past three years |
21 December 2004 - MEPS (International)
We are completing the most tumultuous year that the world’s steel markets have ever seen. Production of crude steel will exceed 1 billion tonnes for the first time. Steel consumption is at record levels. It is scarcely surprising that steel prices have been at historic highs. This is reflected in a new price series that MEPS will soon be launching.
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| EU Steel strip prices will be higher in January |
14 December 2004 - MEPS (International)
The next move for European strip mill product prices will definitely be upwards. The tone of the market has become somewhat more hesitant, although still quite firm. |
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| Asian average carbon steel price forecast for November 2004 |
03 December 2004 - MEPS (International)
A recent decline in the US dollar value against most major currencies has translated into increased figures in all MEPS' Carbon Steel Price Forecasts for November. |
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| International Steel Market Roundup - December 2004 |
03 December 2004 - MEPS (International)
This forecasting article has been extracted from the November issue of MEPS International Steel Review
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| North American average carbon steel price forecast for November 2004 |
02 December 2004 - MEPS (International)
A recent decline in the US dollar value against most major currencies has translated into increased figures in all our Carbon Steel Price Forecasts for November - to a greater or lesser degree, depending upon region. This is expected to also impact on the December values. |
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| EU average carbon steel price forecast for November 2004 |
01 December 2004 - MEPS (International)
The EU producers intend to raise flat products basis values on all products for deliveries in the first quarter. We expect to be reporting price hikes next month in the range 3 to 5% on transaction values. |
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| Further growth in stainless steel production is guaranteed this year |
29 November 2004 - MEPS (International)
Global demand for stainless steel grew by about 7 percent in the first three quarters of this year, according to recent estimates from the producers' group, International Stainless Steel Forum. |
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| High steel prices are now starting to bite |
22 November 2004 - MEPS (International)
The sharp rise in the price of steel over the last year or so has come as a shock to many consumers. Users, notably construction companies and manufacturers, have been complaining about the cost of their most important raw material. Their balance-sheets have in some cases suffered a severe jolt.
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| Steel scrap supply will remain under pressure in medium term
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16 November 2004 - MEPS (International)
In its latest World Steel Outlook, MEPS forecasts world production of crude steel this year reaching 1,035 million tonnes, an increase of 7.5 percent from 2003. This implies a rise in demand for purchased scrap of about 25 million tonnes. |
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| International Steel Market Roundup - November 2004
|
08 November 2004 - MEPS (International)
MEPS monthly roundup of flat and long products world-wide. For flat products, in the US, real consumption remains healthy, while for long products, prices have moved up in several EU countries this month and are expected to increase further as European scrap charges are on the rise again. |
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| Asian average carbon steel price forecast for October 2004 |
05 November 2004 - MEPS (International)
Average prices rose in October in all the flat product categories. The improvements in hot rolled coil/plate and hot dipped galvanised coil were slightly below our expectations. For the other products, ours and the actual figures matched. |
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| EU average carbon steel price forecast for October 2004 |
04 November 2004 - MEPS (International)
Flat products steel prices increased in most countries in October. The outturn was generally, above our predictions prepared in September. The mills were able to extract higher prices from customers who came to the bargaining table late for fourth quarter deliveries.
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| North American average carbon steel price forecast for October 2004 |
04 November 2004 - MEPS (International)
In the flat products category, US distributors are over stocked and all speculative purchasing has ceased. Canadian activity is also subdued. Published energy surcharges are likely to increase in November but these will be difficult to realise.
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| Steelmakers will smash the 1 billion tonne barrier this year
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01 November 2004 - MEPS (International)
MEPS' prediction for global steel output in 2004 is now 1035 million tonnes. This equates to an increase of 7.5 percent on the figure recorded in 2003. This is an outrageous rate of expansion for a basic industry. |
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| EU steel prices continue their upward path, steel producers taken by surprise
|
28 October 2004 - MEPS (International)
Further increases in transaction prices for the start of the fourth quarter of this year, particularly in flat rolled products, show that the upward trend in European steel values has not yet run out of steam.
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| Global stainless steel still set for record output in 2004 |
28 October 2004 - MEPS (International)
Stainless steel production will reach another peak value in 2004. We estimate Western world steel making at 21.25 million tonnes. With revised figures for Chinese supply, this equates to global melting at 23.65 million tonnes. |
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| North American average carbon steel price forecast for September 2004 |
03 October 2004 - MEPS (International)
Over the past few months our forecasts for flat products have been lower than the actual negotiated figures. This has not only been a surprise to us but also to most steel producers. We have seen profit upgrades from many of the major North American steel mills in recent weeks as a result of the higher than expected prices obtained in the market. Rising scrap costs over the period changed market sentiment. |
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| Asian average carbon steel price forecast for September 2004 |
01 October 2004 - MEPS (International)
Our forecasts for flat products in the period to September turned out to be lower than the actual figures recorded. This has not only been a surprise for us but also for many of the steel producers. Profit upgrades have been announced by the major Asian steel mills in recent weeks as a result of these higher prices. Rising scrap costs in mid year put upward pressure on prices. Consequently, some of our predicted values for flat products were below the figures actually negotiated. Scrap prices are now in decline once again. |
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| EU average carbon steel price forecast for September 2004 |
01 October 2004 - MEPS (International)
Over the past few months our forecasts for flat products have been lower than the actual negotiated figures. This has not only been a surprise to us but also to most steel producers. We have seen profit upgrades from many of the major EU steel mills in recent weeks as a result of the higher than expected prices obtained in the market. Rising scrap costs over the period changed market sentiment for all product categories over the period. As a consequence, some steel selling prices rose more than anticipated. |
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| Consumer education and development of bio-sensitive alternatives can revive the plastics industry |
30 May 2003 - Frost & Sullivan
New analysis by Technical Insights, a business unit of Frost & Sullivan (www.technicalinsights.frost.com), featured in The Technical Insights Plastics Advisor, provides valuable insight into the impact of economic and environmental factors on plastics and the plastic recycling industry. It highlights emerging technologies, bio-sensitive alternatives, resource conservation, recycled products, and the laws that affect the plastic industry. |
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| SOLID GROWTH IN GLOBAL STEEL CONSUMPTION IS FORECAST OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS |
18 February 2003 - MEPS (International)
World finished steel consumption is forecast to rise from 808 million tonnes in 2002 to 894 million tonnes in 2007 - an increase of 10.5 percent over the period. |
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