Other

• Clarification: US-Russia pact undercuts US mills, caucus says Feb 24, 2012

  A story in the Feb. 24 issue said Russian mills cannot sell commodity-grade A36 plate below a first-quarter reference price of $437.07 per tonne under the current suspension agreement with the United States. That threshold price is for hot-rolled plate in coil, not for cut-to-length plate.

• Groups seek action on Russian export ban Feb 24, 2012

  A number of trade groups are urging the United States government to act quickly against scrap export restrictions that went into force this month at several eastern Russia ports.

• ITA drops investigation on drill pipe imports from China Feb 22, 2012

  The Commerce Department’s International Trade Administration (ITA) has dropped a duty circumvention investigation on certain imports of drill pipe from China at the request of the petitioners.

• US-South Korea trade pact effective mid-March Feb 21, 2012

  The free-trade agreement with South Korea, intended to strengthen the United States’ economic ties with the Asian nation, will become effective March 15.

• Pipe mart optimistic despite rumored price drop Feb 21, 2012

  Steel pipe and tube tags appear to be relatively stable heading into March despite a reported drop in prices on hollow structural sections (HSS) by at least one major producer.

• Obama airs new export financing plan at Boeing plant Feb 21, 2012

  President Obama announced plans for a new trade financing policy last week during a visit to Boeing Co.’s manufacturing facilities in Everett, Wash.

• Foreign investment in Mexico up Feb 21, 2012

  Mexico recorded some $19.4 billion in foreign direct investment in 2011, up 9.7 percent from $17.7 billion in 2010, the country’s Ministry of the Economy said this week.

• Obama threatens transportation bill veto Feb 15, 2012

  The White House has threatened to veto the five-year, $260-billion House infrastructure bill supported by Republicans because it neglects the importance of strengthening the nation’s transportation system and backpedals on environmental and labor standards.

• Gulf recovering ahead of schedule: Fed Feb 09, 2012

  Economic growth in the Gulf Coast is outstripping the rest of the country, thanks to energy, agriculture and demand from developing economies, according to a Federal Reserve official.

• Metals industry executives gloomier than peers: PwC survey Feb 08, 2012

  A survey based on interviews with 40 metals business leaders in 20 countries shows executives at the top of the international metals sector are more worried than their counterparts in other market segments about an overall decline in the global economy and decidedly more pessimistic when it comes to the outlook for their own companies.

• MF Global has returned some funds, trustee says Feb 08, 2012

  The shortfall of funds at MF Global Inc. began nearly a week before the New York-based investment bank filed for bankruptcy, the trustee for the liquidation said this week, adding that a small portion of funds have been returned to former customers.

• Metals a pacesetter in global M&A: PwC Feb 02, 2012

  The global industrial manufacturing and metal markets set the pace in international merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in the fourth quarter, with 283 deals valued at more than $100 million, according to a series of quarterly reports released Thursday by PwC US.

• WTO rules in US’ favor in China export case Jan 30, 2012

  The appeals panel of the World Trade Organization (WTO) ruled in favor of the United States on Monday, maintaining that China’s export restraints on nine key raw materials are not consistent with its obligations to the organization.

• State of the Union draws mixed response Jan 25, 2012

  eel and manufacturing advocates celebrated President Obama’s focus on manufacturing and fair trade during his third State of the Union address, though some warned that more details still need to be provided.

• Obama proposal to merge six agencies is questioned Jan 17, 2012

  Several lawmakers and industry groups are asking President Obama to re-examine or clarify his proposal to merge six key trade and business departments.

• Obama proposes merging six trade agencies Jan 13, 2012

  President Obama has asked for authority from Congress to downsize the federal government, starting with merging six trade and business departments.

• ITC schedules five-year review on pipe and tube Jan 13, 2012

  The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) is scheduling a full five-year review to determine whether revocation of anti-dumping duty orders on welded carbon steel pipe and tube from India, Thailand and Turkey, circular non-alloy steel pipe from Brazil, Mexico, South Korea and Taiwan, and small-diameter carbon steel pipe and tube from Taiwan would likely lead to material injury.

• CITT makes preliminary determination in stainless steel dumping case Jan 13, 2012

  The Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT) has made a preliminary determination in a dumping and subsidy investigation that imports of stainless steel sinks from China are causing material injury to the Canadian industry.

• Mexican steel group urges import vigilance Jan 11, 2012

  Mexico’s iron and steel association has urged the country’s government to remain vigilant in the face of steel imports from China.