Nucor gains as stronger steel pricing supports earnings outlook

Nucor is building a $4 billion steel mill in West Virginia, set to complete in 2026. The project will create 800 jobs and produce 3 million tons of steel annually. ALL Crane & Equipment Rental Corp. is supplying various cranes for the construction, including models from Manitowoc and Liebherr.

Barclays analysts report ongoing steel supply constraints at the SMU Steel Summit 2026, citing strong demand and pricing resilience. The firm recommends buying Nucor (NUE) and Steel Dynamics (STLD) due to recent price declines. A conference poll indicates 79% of attendees expect lower steel prices in a year, with Barclays forecasting $1,150 per ton. US-Canada trade tensions add uncertainty to the sector.

Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A, BRK.B) shifted to net stock buying in Q2 2026, contrasting Warren Buffett's cash-hoarding stance. Under Greg Abel, it bought Alphabet ($17B), Delta ($1.64B), Lennar ($273M), and Macy's ($101M), while selling Bank of America ($1.7B) and others. Buffett still views the market as overvalued, per a May CNBC interview.

Alibaba's U.S. shares fell 2% after announcing a $10.2B share issuance for AI projects. Chipmakers like Marvell, AMD, and Intel declined. Memory stocks Sandisk, Western Digital, Seagate, and Micron also dropped. Nucor and Steel Dynamics rose over 3% after U.S.-Canada trade talks collapsed. Robinhood and Coinbase fell 1% and 2% respectively as Bitcoin prices stalled. Jersey Mike's Subs gained 0.5% on buy ratings from analysts.

Nucor (NUE) stock rose 2.6% in pre-market trading to $250, recovering from a recent selloff triggered by a US-Canada trade agreement that may lower tariffs on Canadian steel. The company reported Q2 2026 net earnings of $1.16 billion, or $5.04 per diluted share, up from $2.60 per share a year ago, and guided for higher Q3 earnings. Analysts maintain bullish price targets. US steel imports are down 30% year-to-date due to Section 232 tariffs, supporting domestic steel producers.

The U.S. may cut Canadian auto import tariffs to 15%, with steel and aluminum tariffs reduced to 25%, according to Reuters. The reductions depend on U.S.-sourced content and import volumes. An agreement must be reached by Saturday to avoid $20B in tariffs. Steel stocks like NUE, STLD, and CENX fell sharply on Wednesday.