Liberation Day denied: Court overrules IEEPA tariffs
A federal trade court found that Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Power Act (IEEPA) to justify tariffs early April and dubbed the “Liberation Day” tariffs was unconstitutional.
Category: Trade Policy and Tariffs
Week-in-review: Smelters, scrap, and a squeeze play
Terminal markets firmed up amid new smelting announcements, tightening bauxite expectations, and jittery macro signals.
Recycled metal exports bans - An idea that masks the problem
Domestic increases in mill capacity and a struggling recycling rate, amid China's relaxed UBC scrap import policy, fail to make the case for banning US exports.
The downside of the US-China tariff rollback: Container lines’ price hikes
The container lines operating in this shipping lane were quick to respond to the expected surge in freight demand.
What Superior’s lost wheel contract says about regional sourcing
While Michigan-based Superior did not name the “large North American OEM customer”, the scale suggests a major Detroit-based automaker.
Tariff time out: US and China pause punitive measures
Since the aluminum market is subject to Section 232 tariffs of 25%, regardless of source, and which supersedes the 10% tariff, it would bring the effective tariff rate on aluminum products brought into the US from China to 45%.
Small deal, sharp edge: Litho sheet finds its niche in trade pact
Litho sheet is typically costly and a rare grade of scrap to come by. Unlike other more specific alloys, like 6061 or 5052, it can be consumed by just about anyone or added to just about any melt mix.
A week of underwhelming developments
The Administration was eager to announce its first major trade deal on Thursday May 8. Unfortunately, the media probably gave more airtime to the news that Robert Prevost was the first American elected Pope in the Roman Catholic Church. Timing is everything…. but still the deal had important symbolism.
Week in Review: Aluminum holds ground, but pressure builds beneath it
Week in Review: May 8, 2025
The U.S.-UK trade deal opens doors
The new trade deal between the U.S. and the United Kingdom (UK) is being called historic, and for good reason. It gives American producers better access to UK markets and puts a hard quota on British car exports. But for metals and recycling, the bigger story may be the creation of what officials are calling a new union for steel and aluminum.