2 Top Steel Stocks to Consider Buying Now -- and 2 to Avoid

Steel is at the core of the world around us, supporting our buildings, protecting us in our cars, and helping us run our homes in the form of washing machines and refrigerators. Supply and demand play a big part in the price of steel, as with all commodity-driven industries, and that's been a headwind in recent years, largely thanks to China. But there are some steel stocks that managed to thrive even during those difficult times. The steel industry is actually on the upswing right now, lifting the shares of the weakest players along with the strongest. Don't lose sight of the big picture: Stick with leaders like Nucor Corp. (NYSE: NUE) and Steel Dynamics, Inc. (NASDAQ: STLD), but avoid United States Steel Corporation (NYSE: X) and AK Steel (NYSE: AKS).

Steel is an industrial commodity prized for its mixture of strength and cost. Although it's used throughout modern society, construction is a big piece of the demand equation. For example, you can see the exposed steel beams in some buildings and throughout the heavy construction machines that are used to put those beams in place.

Image source: Getty Images

Source: Fool.com