Availability tightens, some prices head up
By Staff -- Purchasing, 9/2/1999
Metals buyers' optimism has inched up a bit this month. Thirty-seven percent of buyers surveyed expect production levels to be better in six months time--that's up four points from a month ago. Fifty-three percent expect conditions to be the same. That number rose by nine points compared with last month. The relief comes in those expecting worse conditions. At 10% this month, the figure has fallen 12 points compared with last month.Buyers expect to be purchasing the same amount of metals in three months time. Twenty-eight percent plan on increasing their metals buy--up from 22% last month.
Buyers' optimism may be under pressure from rising price tags. While only 11% report higher steel tags (that's nearly double last month's figure), over half of buyers surveyed report higher aluminum prices. As well, 46% say copper and brass prices are up. For aluminum that's a 44-point jump. For copper and brass it's an eight-point increase.
Metals availability is tightening according to buyers. Nineteen percent report tight availability from mills, and 25% report tightness from distributors. Both are up from zero last month. Still the vast majority (75% in both cases) report availability as normal.
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