The Producer Price Index (PPI) is a weighted index of prices measured at the wholesale, or producer level. A monthly release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the PPI shows trends within the wholesale markets, manufacturing industries and commodities markets.

In the first eleven months of 2016 bulk scrap exports were 11,428,000 tonnes, down by 2.8% from the first 11 months of 2015.

December US import licenses through January 10th, as reported by the US Census Bureau’s Steel Import Monitor, totaled 440,000 tons (44 kt) a 3% increase over preliminary November long product imports.

Data released by the US International Trade Commission reported fabricated beam imports rose 4.1% m/m, as year to date imports through November totaled 443,000 tons (kt), a 27% YTD y/y increase.

At Gerdau, we follow the AAR report is because; freight railroading is a “derived demand” industry: demand for rail service occurs as a result of demand elsewhere in the economy for the products railroads haul.

The monthly Broad Index value of the US $ at the end of November was higher than at any time since April 2002, Figure 1.