Factory Market Report | Jan 20 | “The Steak Strikes Back"

Compared to yesterday (Jan 19)

Yesterday was about consolidation.
Today is about reversal.

Markets didn’t explode, but one former king came back with a vengeance, while yesterday’s safest bets quietly slipped down the ladder.

🥇 Today’s Winner: Steak Reclaims the Crown

🥩 Steak – Victoria, Australia

Profit per point: 0.13953
Change vs yesterday: ⬆️ Strong rebound

After two days of decline, steak snaps back to the top with authority. Lower livestock input cost plus a slightly stronger specialization bonus did the trick.

👉 This is the highest efficiency we’ve seen since I started making reports.
👉 Steak is once again a top-tier, build-worthy factory, not just a legacy pick.

🥈 Steel: Back Where It Belongs

🔩 Steel – Transylvania, Romania

Profit per point: 0.13257
Change vs yesterday: ⬆️ Clear improvement

Steel quietly strengthens after yesterday’s dip. Iron input stayed stable, bonuses remain excellent, and margins widened just enough.

👉 Steel continues to be the most reliable long-term factory across all days so far.
👉 Never flashy, never scary — just profitable.

🥉 Concrete: First Real Slip

🧱 Concrete – Masovia, Poland

Profit per point: 0.12643
Change vs yesterday: ⬇️ Noticeable drop

After flirting with the top yesterday, concrete gives back ground. Limestone got pricier, and output didn’t keep up.

👉 Still good.
👉 No longer elite today.

This is the first sign that concrete isn’t immune — it just had a very good run.

📉 Heavy Ammo: The Fall Continues

💣 Heavy Ammo – Galicia, Spain

Profit per point: 0.11880
Change vs yesterday: ⬇️ Second straight decline

Heavy ammo takes another hit as lead costs rise and output softens. This officially ends its multi-day run as a top-tier efficiency play.

👉 Still profitable.
👉 No longer a default recommendation.

This is a textbook example of input-cost sensitivity finally catching up.

🐟 Cooked Fish: Slowly Drifting

🍽️ Cooked Fish – Uruguay

Profit per point: 0.11486
Change vs yesterday: ➖ Flat to slightly down

Cooked fish remains playable, but every day it looks heavier for the same payoff. At 40 production points, stagnation hurts more.

👉 Keep if built.
👉 Questionable for new construction.

⛏️ Deposit Watch: Still Carrying the Middle

Raw resources with active deposits continue to quietly outperform expectations:

• 🌿 Coca – DR Congo → 0.11631 (deposit expires today) ⏱️

• 🧲 Lead – Serbia → 0.11466

• ⛓️ Iron – Portugal → 0.11210

• 🐟 Fish – Finland → 0.10981

• 🐄 Livestock – Ukraine → 0.10679

👉 These are still strong short-term plays, but Coca is now officially in last-call territory.

😐 Lower Tier: No Surprises

• 🔫 Ammo – Venezuela

• 🛢️ Oil – Sweden

• 🔫 Light Ammo – France

• 🌾 Grain – DR Congo

Functional, but outclassed.

🚨 Bottom Watch: Bread and Cocaine

🍞 Bread – Egypt

Profit per point: 0.08125
⬇️ Even worse than yesterday

Bread continues to decay and is now firmly a do-not-build factory.

❄️ Cocaine – Vietnam

Profit per point: 0.07494
⬇️ New low

Cocaine hits its worst efficiency so far. Rising coca prices finally crushed margins.

👉 Still big total profit.
👉 Still awful per point.
👉 Still a trap.

📊 Jan 20 Snapshot Summary

🏆 Top Tier (Build Worthy)

• Steak

• Steel

✅ Good but Watch Closely

• Concrete

• Cooked Fish

• Heavy Ammo (falling)

⏱️ Time-Limited Plays

• Coca (today!)

• Lead

• Iron

• Livestock

• Fish

🚫 Avoid

• Bread

• Cocaine

📌 Jan 20 Takeaways

• Steak proves it’s volatile but powerful

• Steel is the only consistently strong factory across all days

• Heavy ammo has officially lost its edge

• Concrete isn’t invincible — inputs matter

• Deposit expiration timing is now critical