Actually, everything you wrote in the two posts is, like I said before, 'dead on'.
On the pessimistic statement, I should have written that I am not pessimistic but rather I am 'numb'. That would have told you that the normally optimistic 'me' has suffered some heavy blows but can still get up. In market trades, I'm delighted. On the home front, no debt. In the business, stuck in the doldroms of severely declining steel demand. This is not to say that it is 'gone', but the conveyor is barely moving.
On copper, things are turning around. I told you earlier that the export stepped up... now it is flying. The news about China demand is real. On the homefront buyers, demand is good, but not as healthy as it will be when the electrical grid stimulus kicks in. To that effect, I have hope that it is soon.
With regard to the news flow between you and your customers, I now understand your pessimistic stance. To view an ever-worsening business environment & refuse to take off rose colored glasses is NOT the businessman I know you to be. In fact, I've NEVER known you to even 'wear' rose colored glasses!
The news flow between us and our customers is still laden with small pockets of hope. But... that 'hope' makes them hang on and... well.... 'exhaust' cash reserves. What happens when cash reserves are exhausted and a turnaround happens? I'll tell you what happens --> the banks chose their winners & change the business environment EVERYWHERE. This is to say that a cash-strapped supplier goes to the bank (with orders in hand) & could be refused the capital necessary for the orders. When that happens, it's 'over' for that supplier but... well... the orders move to a different supplier who the bank WILL help... and we end up with the banks chosing who will survive.
To put those jokers in a seat with THAT much power is sickening.
