Despite concerns about the impact of the Omicron variant, labor shortages, supply-chain issues and inflation, the industrial manufacturing industry appears to be in relatively good health, with recent gains in output, capacity utilization and a general sense of optimism, according to various reports. 

Similar to lines first spoken in the “The Wizard of Oz,” this column’s title invokes fear and surprise of today’s steel prices and what they may be in the future.

Although the booming impact of surging prices will hit the pockets of America’s individual and group buyers, this will have the opposite effect on the thousands of companies with brands in the stock markets.

With the holiday season behind us and Congress back session, we are entering the second month of the first quarter of 2022 with continued uncertainty.