Core Insights - The housing market is experiencing a slowdown, leading to builders cutting prices and offering incentives to sell finished homes, which in turn affects the demand for construction materials like lumber [1][3][19] - Lumber futures have decreased significantly from their August peak of around $695 per thousand board feet to the $590–$610 range, indicating a shift in market dynamics where supply exceeds demand [3][4][17] - Steel demand is also weak, with global prices under pressure due to insufficient consumption across various sectors, although certain regions still show strong demand for steel related to infrastructure and industrial projects [12][16][20] Lumber Market Analysis - Builders overestimated the demand for new homes, leading to excess inventory and a subsequent decline in lumber prices as housing starts and permits dropped [2][3][4] - The lumber market is signaling that housing is not absorbing materials quickly enough, which is a precursor to a slowdown in flatbed freight related to residential construction [8][19] - The expectation is that flatbed carriers heavily reliant on residential construction will face increased competition and need to diversify their service offerings to maintain profitability [10][18] Steel Market Analysis - Global steel demand has been weak throughout 2025, with prices affected by oversupply and insufficient end-use demand, particularly in Asia [12][13] - U.S. steel mills are benefiting from tariffs that limit imported steel, allowing them to maintain production levels despite weak global demand [14][16] - Certain sectors, such as energy and infrastructure, continue to drive demand for steel, indicating that while the overall market is soft, opportunities still exist in specific regions and industries [15][20] Future Outlook - The overall sentiment for flatbed freight heading into 2026 is one of caution, with expectations of a slow recovery in both lumber and steel markets [17][20] - The best opportunities for flatbed carriers will likely shift away from residential construction towards non-residential projects that are less sensitive to interest rates, such as utility infrastructure and industrial builds [18][20] - Carriers are advised to adapt to the changing landscape by broadening their service areas and focusing on sectors that continue to show demand despite the cooling housing market [10][18]

The UK spent £2.1 billion to balance electricity grid supply and demand so far this year https://t.co/PgzFLtKQSD ...

Core Insights - Crude oil and gasoline prices have declined significantly, with crude reaching a 5.25-month low and gasoline hitting a 4.5-year low due to unexpected increases in crude inventories and record-high US crude production [2] - Speculation regarding continued Russian oil supplies following potential diplomatic discussions between the US and Russia has contributed to the downward pressure on crude prices [2] - The UK has imposed sanctions on major Russian oil producers, which initially supported oil prices, but broader market dynamics have led to price declines [3] Group 1: Price Movements - November WTI crude oil closed down by $0.81 (-1.39%) and November RBOB gasoline closed down by $0.0227 (-1.24%) [1] - Crude oil prices have retreated after an early advance, influenced by a weaker dollar and geopolitical factors [3] Group 2: Supply Dynamics - The EIA report indicated an unexpected increase in crude inventories and a rise in US crude production to record levels, contributing to the price drop [2] - OPEC+ has agreed to a modest increase in crude production targets, which is less than market expectations, while also planning to reverse previous production cuts [6] Group 3: Geopolitical Factors - Renewed trade tensions with China are exerting downward pressure on crude prices, as a prolonged trade war could negatively impact global economic growth and energy demand [4] - Cooling tensions in the Middle East have reduced risk premiums in crude prices, further contributing to the decline [5]

Core Insights - Goldman Sachs compares gold to Manhattan real estate, emphasizing that both have limited supply and are highly sought after assets [1][4] - Gold's price has recently surged, reaching a record high of $3,700 [2] - The supply of gold is constrained, with only 1% of new gold added to the existing 220,000 metric tons annually, highlighting its nature as an asset for accumulation rather than consumption [4][5] Supply and Demand Dynamics - Unlike commodities like oil and gas, gold's market dynamics are driven by changes in ownership rather than production and consumption balances [5] - The price of gold reflects the willingness of holders to retain it versus those willing to sell, indicating a unique market behavior [5] Buyer Segmentation - Goldman Sachs identifies two types of gold buyers: "conviction buyers" such as central banks and ETFs, and "opportunistic buyers" from emerging markets [6] - Opportunistic buyers provide price support during sell-offs, while conviction buyers influence market trends [7]

Core Insights - A 20-year-old secured a $100,000 loan to purchase cattle, raising concerns about the decision-making process behind such a loan [1][2] - The young borrower has experience in the cattle business, having worked alongside his father for 10 years, which adds context to the loan [2] - The loan was secured against a $100,000 certificate of deposit (CD), indicating a level of financial backing [3] Financial Analysis - The decision to borrow against the CD rather than using the funds directly for purchasing cattle was criticized, as loans typically carry higher interest rates than CDs [4] - The caller's confidence in the beef market's stability over the next two years was viewed as overly optimistic and compared to gambling, highlighting the unpredictability of commodity prices [4][5] - Ramsey emphasized the importance of understanding supply and demand dynamics in the cattle market, noting that an oversupply could lead to lower beef prices, while high demand with fewer cattle could increase prices [5]

Core Insights - Pfizer Inc. has secured a three-year grace period from tariffs on pharmaceuticals, allowing the company to offer medications at significantly discounted prices [1] - The announcement has led to a breakout in Pfizer's shares, indicating potential for continued upward movement [2] - The stock is currently trading above a key resistance level of $25.90, which is seen as a bullish signal [6] Stock Performance - Pfizer shares increased by 5.44%, reaching $26.86 at the time of publication [7] - The stock is trading within a 52-week range of $20.91 to $30.43, indicating volatility and potential for growth [7] Market Dynamics - The relationship between supply and demand is crucial; increased demand with limited supply can drive prices higher [3] - The removal of significant supply from the market may require buyers to bid higher prices to attract sellers, potentially leading to an uptrend [7]

In the labor market, there has been a marked slowdown in both the supply of and the demand for workers, an unusual and challenging development. In this less dynamic and somewhat softer labor market, the downside risks to employment have risen. The unemployment rate edged up to 4.3% in August, but has remained relatively stable at a low level over the past year.Payroll job gains slowed sharply over summer months as employers added an average of just 29,000 per month over the past three months. The recent pac ...

Group 1 - Olive Garden is recognized as a leading restaurant company with strong margins, but it has recently faced challenges leading to a decline in performance [1] - There is a concern about demand destruction in the food industry, particularly related to high steak prices affecting consumer choices [2] - The liquor market is experiencing a decline in prices, attributed to reduced consumption, which may impact overall sales in the beverage sector [3] Group 2 - Beer sales are being affected, with a notable shift in consumer preferences, indicating a potential change in the beverage landscape [4] - The rise of mocktails suggests a changing trend in consumer behavior towards non-alcoholic options, which could influence future market dynamics [4]

1. Report Industry Investment Rating No relevant content provided. 2. Core Viewpoints of the Report - This week, steel prices maintained a weak and volatile trend. The profit of power - off - peak electricity for short - process steel decreased and fell into losses, leading to a reduction in production. The profit of long - process steel also fell into losses, but after the parade, the hot metal production quickly recovered to over 2.4 million tons. The overall supply remained high. The demand for hot - rolled coils recovered rapidly, while the demand for rebar declined due to large warehouse receipt pressure. The overall inventory continued to accumulate, with the rebar inventory accumulating faster than last year. It is expected that the short - term steel prices will maintain a bottom - oscillating trend. The trading strategy suggests maintaining a wait - and - see approach for both arbitrage and options [4][7]. 3. Summary According to Relevant Catalogs 3.1 Chapter 1: Steel Market Summary and Outlook 3.1.1 Market Summary - **Supply**: This week, the small - sample production of rebar was 2.1868 million tons (- 0.0188 million tons), and that of hot - rolled coils was 3.1424 million tons (- 0.105 million tons). The daily average hot metal output of 247 blast furnaces was 2.4055 million tons (+ 0.1171 million tons), and the capacity utilization rate of 49 independent electric arc furnace steel mills was 35.2% (- 0.3%). The cost of flat - rate electricity for electric furnaces in East China was about 3,373 yuan/ton (converted to the futures price), with a profit of - 166.92 yuan/ton. The cost of off - peak electricity was about 3,208 yuan/ton (converted to theoretical weight), and the profit of off - peak electricity for the third - tier rebar in East China was - 2 yuan/ton [4]. - **Demand**: The small - sample apparent demand for rebar was 2.0207 million tons (- 0.04 million tons), and that for hot - rolled coils was 3.0536 million tons (+ 0.208 million tons). From January to July, the growth rate of China's fixed - asset investment decreased month - on - month, and the incremental investment in domestic projects was insufficient. In July, the decline in housing sales, land acquisition, new construction, and completion areas widened, and the overall demand for housing construction was weak. The manufacturing PMI contracted, and the new orders, production, and export data all declined. The production and export of Chinese automobiles in July increased year - on - year, but the industry profit continued to shrink. The production schedule of three major white goods in September decreased year - on - year, and it is expected to decline further in October. The initial value of the US manufacturing PMI in August reached a 39 - month high, and the initial value of the eurozone manufacturing PMI in August returned to the expansion range for the first time in three years [4]. - **Inventory**: The rebar inventory in steel mills decreased by 47,100 tons, and the social inventory increased by 185,700 tons, with a total increase of 138,600 tons. The hot - rolled coil inventory in steel mills increased by 9,000 tons, and the social inventory decreased by 19,200 tons, with a total decrease of 10,200 tons. The total inventory of five major steel products in steel mills decreased by 35,000 tons, and the social inventory increased by 174,100 tons, with a total increase of 139,100 tons [4]. 3.1.2 Market Outlook - It is expected that the rebar production will continue to decrease due to serious losses in both short - and long - process production, while the hot - rolled coil production will continue to resume as it remains profitable. The overall inventory will continue to accumulate, with the rebar inventory accumulating faster than last year, and the hot - rolled coil inventory starting to decline. The steel prices are expected to maintain a bottom - oscillating trend in the short term. In September, attention should be paid to the peak - season demand, coal mine safety inspections, overseas tariffs, and domestic macro and industrial policies. The trading strategy suggests a bottom - oscillating trend for single - side trading and a wait - and - see approach for both arbitrage and options [7]. 3.2 Chapter 2: Price and Profit Review - **Spot Prices**: On Friday, the aggregated price of rebar in Shanghai was 3,220 yuan (- 20 yuan), and in Beijing was 3,160 yuan (- 30 yuan). The price of hot - rolled coils in Shanghai was 3,380 yuan (unchanged), and that of HBIS hot - rolled coils in Tianjin was 3,310 yuan (unchanged) [11]. - **Profits**: The flat - rate electricity profit of electric furnaces in East China was - 166 yuan (- 39 yuan), and the off - peak electricity profit was - 2 yuan (- 39 yuan) [29]. 3.3 Chapter 3: Important Domestic and Overseas Macroeconomic Data - **US Data**: The unadjusted CPI annual rate in the US in August reached 2.9%, the highest since January, in line with market expectations. The seasonally adjusted CPI monthly rate was 0.4%, higher than the expected 0.3%. The number of initial jobless claims in the week of September 6 was 263,000, higher than the expected 235,000 [31]. - **Chinese Data**: In August, the retail sales of the national passenger car market reached 1.995 million units, a year - on - year increase of 4.6%. From January to August, the cumulative retail sales were 14.741 million units, a year - on - year increase of 9.5%. In July, the new social financing was 1.13 trillion yuan, with new RMB loans of - 5 billion yuan. The loans on the household side were - 48.93 billion yuan, and enterprise loans were 60 trillion yuan. From January to July 2025, the cumulative year - on - year growth rate of China's fixed - asset investment was + 1.6%, with a decline in growth rate month - on - month [31][38]. - **Egyptian Data**: Egypt launched safeguard measure investigations on imported steel billets, cold - rolled coils, galvanized sheets, and pre - painted sheets on September 10, 2025, and made a positive preliminary ruling on imported hot - rolled coils on September 10, suggesting the collection of temporary safeguard measure taxes from September 14, 2025, to April 1, 2026 [31]. 3.4 Chapter 4: Steel Supply, Demand, and Inventory Situation 3.4.1 Supply - The daily average hot metal output of 247 blast furnaces was 2.4055 million tons (+ 0.1171 million tons), and the capacity utilization rate of 49 independent electric arc furnace steel mills was 34.7% (- 0.5%) [56]. - The small - sample production of rebar was 2.1193 million tons, a month - on - month decrease of 0.0675 million tons, and that of hot - rolled coils was 3.2514 million tons, a month - on - month increase of 0.109 million tons [62]. 3.4.2 Demand - The small - sample apparent demand for rebar was 1.9807 million tons, a month - on - month decrease of 0.04 million tons, and that for hot - rolled coils was 3.2616 million tons, a month - on - month increase of 0.208 million tons [65]. - As of September 9, the capital availability rate of sample construction sites was 59.24%, a week - on - week decrease of 0.16 percentage points. The capital availability rate of non - housing construction projects was 61.03%, a week - on - week increase of 0.02 percentage points, while that of housing construction projects was 50.75%, a week - on - week decrease of 0.64 percentage points [74]. - From January to July 2025, China's cumulative steel exports were 67.983 million tons, a year - on - year increase of 11.4%. In July, the steel exports were 9.836 million tons, a month - on - month increase of 0.158 million tons. The high - frequency data in August showed that direct steel exports remained high, but the export profit shrank recently [77]. 3.4.3 Inventory - The overall inventory situation showed that the rebar inventory continued to accumulate, while the hot - rolled coil inventory started to decline. The total rebar inventory and its breakdown into social and steel mill inventories, as well as the total hot - rolled coil inventory and its breakdown, are presented in the relevant graphs [82][84].

Corn Market - The corn market showed little activity with December futures (ZCZ25) remaining unchanged after a trading range of 1.75 cents and a volume of 12,000 contracts [1] - The US is expected to harvest a large corn crop in 2025, and the commercial side has priced in a bearish scenario, as indicated by the stabilization of futures spreads [1] - The National Corn Index was reported at $3.78, up 2.25 cents for the day, with the national average basis at 41.75 cents under December futures [1] Soybean Market - The soybean market opened lower with November futures (ZSX25) trading in a range of 4.5 cents and a volume of 10,500 contracts [4] - The November-January futures spread covered 69% of the calculated full commercial carry, indicating a bearish sentiment compared to 64% a year ago [4] - The National Soybean Index was calculated at $9.5450, with the national average basis at 79.0 cents under November futures [4] Wheat Market - The wheat market was mostly lower, with December futures (ZWZ25) remaining unchanged and a total overnight trade volume of about 5,000 contracts [5] - The Dec-March futures spread covered a neutral 51% of the calculated full commercial carry, while the National SRW Index was at $4.4850 [5] - The National HRW Index was reported at $4.33, marking its lowest monthly close since July 2020 [5]