This Morning in Metals: China MES, Steel Production and NAFTA

China and Market-Economy Status (MES)

MetalMiner originally published its China MES (Market Economy Status) page in 2016, covering everything about the years following China’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and its ensuing quest to receive all-important market-economy status.
As you probably know, a lot has happened since 2016 on the U.S.-China trade front, particularly since Donald Trump’s election as president. So, we updated the comprehensive page to cover recent developments, including the Section 232 and Section 301 probes, not to mention the recent back-and-forth threats of major tariffs on goods.
You can check out the updated page here.

Great Lakes Steel Production Falls

Steel production in the Great Lakes region last week fell 2.23% compared with production the previous week, according to American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) data reported by the Northwest Indiana Times.
Production in the region last week amounted to 655,000 tons, according to the report.

Looking For a Deal

Despite a fast-approaching Thursday deadline, the U.S. is still hopeful it can reach a deal on renegotiating NAFTA with partners Canada and Mexico.
MetalMiner’s Annual Outlook provides 2018 buying strategies for carbon steel
White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told Fox News, as quoted by Reuters: “We still want to see something happen and we’re going to continue in those conversations. They’re ongoing now and we’re pushing forward and hopeful that we can get something done soon.”