At Cooper and Jackson, April began positively with strong demand, before activity levels began to drop as the Easter holidays approached.    This was anticipated and activity resumed in a positive manner at the beginning of May.  Things were expected to quieten again as people in the UK turned their attention towards the extended Jubilee Bank Holiday, with many deciding to take off additional time, but our volumes remained Read More

Prices throughout Europe, including the UK have surged upwards since Russia invaded Ukraine in late February.  However, the full impact of the invasion and its consequences for the steel market are yet to be felt.  Prior to the invasion, many people, including myself, were optimistic about market conditions, the availability of coil stock and the outlook for automotive demand.   The Russian offensive into Ukraine Read More

When I originally sat down to write this month’s briefing, Russia had not begun their invasion of Ukraine and we still lived in the hope that a diplomatic solution to the crisis could be found.  That hope has now been shattered and we have to cross our fingers and wish for a swift resolution to the conflict.  As you would expect, my initial thoughts for the briefing have changed significantly on the back of the Read More