James May

Managing Director, May Commodity Associates

Member of the Industrial Council

Council Member Biography

James May is Managing Director of May Commodity Associates, a firm providing strategic advice to clients in the steel, steel raw materials, metals, and industrial minerals sectors. Prior, Mr. May was Director of Steel Research Metal Bulletin. He has extensive contacts within the global steel industry, and has commented on the industry for various media including CNN, BBC, and CNBC. Mr. May specializes in carbon steel (flat and long) pricing; price forecasts; market research; steel metallics (iron ore, coke, coal, ferrous scrap, DRI, and ferro-alloys) pricing and market research; stainless and alloy markets pricing and forecasts; coated steels (tinplate, organic, and galvanized) pricing, markets, and forecasts; and welded and seamless tubular product markets and pricing. He has extensive experience of both mature and emerging markets. (This is me - Update Profile)

Employment History

2002 - present: Managing Director, May Commodity Associates
1995 - 2002: Steel Research Manager, METAL BULLETIN LTD

GLG News^SM Analyses by James May(?)

Opinions and analyses expressed in GLG News are solely those of the author. See the Terms of Use for details.

Very bullish for iron ore in 2008, not so for 2009

October 19, 2007

Analysis by:James May, Managing Director, May Commodity Associates

Analysis of: China's continued steel demand bolsters iron ore prices, miners | online.wsj.com

Contract prices likely to soar in 2008 Rising supply and weaker demand may lead to weakness in 2009

US industry gets ongoing protection from Chinese and Indian HR coil imports

October 11, 2007

Analysis by:James May, Managing Director, May Commodity Associates

Analysis of: ITC to keep duties on some imported steel | www.chicagotribune.com

US steel industry gains direct benefit from market protection against the major sources of potential over-supply over the next five years. This won't insulate the industry entirely due to a spillover effect. ArcelorMittal illustrates its phenomenal lobbying power and this has to be a success for this...

Trash talk prior to price negotiations

October 11, 2007

Analysis by:James May, Managing Director, May Commodity Associates

Analysis of: GM looks to substitute materials to reduce costs: Purchasing VP calls price increases "scary" and outlines upcoming plans | www.purchasing.com

This "announcement" is not about substitution, it is about upcoming contract negotiations with its steel suppliers, and an attempt to influence the agenda to offset the supplier power of the steel industry. Substitution is occuring, and will continue to occur (even towards steel andaluminium)...

Consolidation alone will not reduce volatility

January 29, 2007

Analysis by:James May, Managing Director, May Commodity Associates

Analysis of: Will consolidation cut volatility in steel prices? | news.moneycontrol.com

Pricing volatility has not been reduced. US HR coil prices have just dropped $150/ton (25%) in the last six months and could easily go up by the same amount in the next six. The difference is that the bottom of the current cycle is above most producers' cost level.The theory is thatconsolidation...

View All GLG News ^SM Analyses by James May