From Volatility to Strategy: Forecasting Steel with Fastmarkets

Guests: Amy Hinton & Dan Hilliard of Fastmarkets

Host: Tim Ridderbos, VP at Shapiro

What happens when market volatility meets real-time intelligence and an industry-defining January summit?

In this episode of 5 for Five, Shapiro’s Tim Ridderbos talks with Fastmarkets’ Amy Hinton and Dan Hilliard about how trade policy, tariffs, and shifting global flows are reshaping steel and scrap, and why the Circular Steel Summit has become a launchpad for the year’s strategy, networking, and dealmaking.

“Yeah, I mean, like the rest of the market, we’re trying to react to and anticipate changes in global trade flows, particularly those related to tariffs. We’re also trying to find opportunities in volatility, particularly as it concerns big end users in auto, construction, pipe and tube, HVAC, the whole gamut.” — Dan Hilliard, Fastmarkets

“The Circular Steel Summit, we hold it every January right at the beginning of the trading year. It’s really where the movers and shakers across the North American steel supply chain gather together to talk policy, trade flows, negotiate, network with one another. Obviously we’re the benchmark for ferrous scrap in the United States and North America.” — Amy Hinton, Fastmarkets

“More information and better contacts can be the difference between a missed opportunity and a golden one, really.” — Dan Hilliard, Fastmarkets

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

Time Stamps:

00:00 – Welcome & roles: Who are Amy Hinton and Dan Hilliard?
00:44 – What’s new at Fastmarkets? (trade flows, tariffs, volatility)
01:12 – What is the Circular Steel Summit?
02:16 – Why attend? (networking, market intelligence, 2026 preview)
03:00 – Outlook for 2026: planning in uncertainty
04:03 – Sign-off

From Market Volatility to Strategic Advantage

Fastmarkets is helping steel and scrap stakeholders make sense of turbulent markets by translating policy shifts and trade dynamics into actionable insight for mill buyers, recyclers, OEMs, and service centers. With volatility defining 2025, early-year planning and credible benchmarks matter more than ever.

A Must-Attend January Summit

The Circular Steel Summit convenes the full North American steel supply chain—recyclers, steel mills, automotive, and major end users—to compare notes, negotiate, and set the tone for the trading year. Past participants include SA Recycling, EMR, Deacero, and Nucor. Expect practical forecasts, direct access to reporters and analysts, and the relationships that move markets.

Why It Matters

When uncertainty is the baseline, better information—and better connections—create competitive advantage. This episode spotlights how market participants can use January’s summit to build a 2026 playbook grounded in data, price benchmarks, and real conversations with decision-makers.

Connect with Amy Hinton
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