RESTRICTED CASH AND INVESTMENTS: As of September 29, 2012, restricted cash and investments primarily consisted of net proceeds from the issuance of $600.0 million 30-year variable rate Gulf Opportunity Zone bonds in November 2010. The restricted cash and investments are held in a trust account and are to be used to partially fund the capital costs associated with the construction of Nucor’s direct reduced ironmaking facility in St. James Parish, Louisiana. Funds are disbursed as qualified expenditures for the construction of the facility are made ($172.6 million and $21.9 million in the first nine months of 2012 and 2011, respectively). Restricted investments totaled $299.8 million at September 29, 2012 ($514.3 million at December 31, 2011), and are held in similar short-term investment instruments as described in Note 4 to Nucor’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011. Interest earned on these investments is subject to the same usage requirements as the bond proceeds. Since the restricted cash, investments and interest on investments must be used for the construction of the facility, the entire balance has been classified as a non-current asset.