New York, Feb 12, 2026, 07:11 EST — Premarket
- Gerdau’s U.S.-listed shares climbed roughly 2% in pre-market trading following a surge in volume on Wednesday
- New U.S. jobs figures, combined with significant historical revisions, shake up the rates debate
- Investors are eyeing Friday’s U.S. CPI release and Gerdau’s earnings report scheduled for February 23
Gerdau’s U.S.-listed shares climbed roughly 2% in premarket trading Thursday, maintaining gains from the day before. Investors wrestled with an unexpected U.S. jobs report and revised forecasts that upended bets on interest-rate cuts.
This shift is significant since steel demand closely follows construction and industrial trends, which can quickly shift with changing rate expectations. On Wednesday, U.S. data reflected that dual nature: some strong results appeared, but it also involved a revision of recent figures.
Gerdau, a leading long-steel producer in the Americas, runs mills and operations throughout Brazil and North America, making it vulnerable to changes in U.S. economic growth and financing conditions.
On Wednesday, Gerdau ended the regular session at $4.35, climbing 2.6%, with about 63 million shares changing hands—nearly triple its usual volume. Its competitors, Nucor and Steel Dynamics, also saw gains.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that total nonfarm payrolls increased by 130,000 in January, while the unemployment rate held steady at 4.3%. Jobs grew in sectors like health care, social assistance, and construction.
Revised benchmarks reveal the U.S. economy added 862,000 fewer jobs in the year ending March 2025 than earlier reported. The overall employment gain for 2025 also received a significant downward adjustment.
“Job growth should firm up this year if we’re right about a faster pace of real GDP growth,” Regions Financial chief economist Richard F. Moody said in a note on the report.
Steelmakers know the drill: slower growth forecasts might boost housing and construction down the line, but sharp drops or major downgrades often signal trouble ahead, usually first seen in industrial orders.
Gerdau investors are keeping an eye on some key company dates. According to the 2026 corporate calendar, the full-year 2025 financial results will be released on Feb. 23, while the first-quarter 2026 report is expected in late April.
The rally isn’t guaranteed. If inflation numbers come in high, hopes for rate cuts could vanish quickly, and the leverage boosting cyclical stocks could just as fast send them tumbling once growth worries kick in.
Friday brings the U.S. Consumer Price Index for January, a key data point that could shake up rate forecasts. Just after, on February 23, Gerdau is set to release its earnings.
