2013-02-24 15:19:44 - New Materials research report from Business Monitor International is now available from Fast Market Research

While the Canadian metals market is set to be an outperformer, consumption growth will be insufficient to sustain output growth in 2013, with the US market set to determine production. As such, some segments will see slower growth and even a contraction, particularly where plants are affected by labour disputes.

Construction Sector Still Positive

The situation is still positive in the construction sector, which bodes well for steel and aluminium - the two largest components of Canada's metals sector. Having grown by 3.5% year-on-year (y-o-y) in real terms in 2011, we expect Canada's residential and non-residential building industry to have maintained its status as an outperformer among developed markets in 2012. While not immune to external economic pressures, the relative strength of

the Canadian economy allied to low interest rates and a highly attractive project financing environment have buttressed industry growth since 2009. That said, with residential construction growth showing signs of moderating we are pencilling in a modest slowdown in 2013 to 3% y-o-y. However, of greater importance is construction activity in the US, which remains uncertain and subdued.


Full Report Details at
- www.fastmr.com/prod/536413_canada_metals_report_q1_2013.aspx


The country's metals production has followed the overall strength of the economy as it returns to prerecession levels of industrial output, particularly in crucial metals consuming sectors such as the domestic car industry. We believe that with the economy getting closer to potential, and with capacity utilisation being eaten up, and corporate cash and profits still headed higher, there will be increased incentive to invest. Added to these factors are government tax breaks intended to spur investment, and the potential for yet further cuts in the corporate tax rate.

There are, however, headwinds to domestic consumption, including interest rate hikes, inflation reducing disposable income and the potential for house price moderation or even a downturn. However, the underlying fundamentals are still positive, with the labour market improving and, accordingly, real wages beginning to grow more robustly. The most significant risk would be a significant slowdown in the US, which could severely undermine Canadian business confidence, commodity prices and exports, adversely affecting exports of metals and manufactured goods.

In terms of upstream resources, Canada's mining sector continues to benefit from substantial natural resources, a stable political environment and sustained global demand for its minerals. As a large producer of zinc, nickel, uranium and potash, Canada's minerals production is diverse and will remain highly attractive for investment. Although many countries are increasingly shifting mineral exports away from the US and Europe toward Asia, Canada's longstanding trade relationships and close proximity to the US lead us to believe that changes in export patterns will be minimal.

Report Table of Contents:

BMI Industry View
SWOT
- Metals
Industry Forecast
- Steel
- Table: Table: Canada - Steel Production & Consumption (kt unless stated otherwise)
- Table: Table: Canada - Steel Production & Consumption, 2003 - 2010
- Aluminium
- Table: Canada - Aluminium Production & Consumption (kt)
- Nickel
- Table: Canada - Nickel Production & Consumption (kt)
Macroeconomic Forecasts
- Macroeconomic Forecast
- Table: Canada - Gdp By Expenditure, Real Growth %
Commodities Forecast
- Monthly Metals Strategy
- Iron Ore: Holding Up, For Now
- Steel: Bleak Outlook
- Aluminium: Major Gains Over
- Copper: Global Stockpiles Pose Downside Risk
- Lead: Heading Lower
- Nickel: No Return To 2012 Highs
- Tin: Continued Outperformance
- Zinc: Bounce Is Coming To An End
- Table: BMI Commodity Price Strategy
- Table: Select Commodities: Performance & BMI Forecasts
- Steel Forecast
- Table: BMI Steel Forecast
- Table: Steel Forecast
Competitive Landscape
- Table: Canada - Largest Listed Metals Companies
Company Profile
- ArcelorMittal
- Table: Table: ArcelorMittal - Key Financial Data
- Rio Tinto
- Table: Table: Rio Tinto - Key Financial Data
- US Steel
- Table: US Steel - Key Financial Data
Demographic Forecast
- Table: Canada's Population By Age Group, 1990-2020 ('000)
- Table: Canada's Population By Age Group, 1990-2020 (% of total)
- Table: Canada's Key Population Ratios, 1990-2020
- Table: Canada's Rural And Urban Population, 1990-2020
Methodology
- How We Generate Our Industry Forecasts
- Cross Checks

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