US import rebar and wire rod pricing steady amid low imports, stable domestic markets
Thursday, 14 August 2025 20:44:23 (GMT+3) San Diego
US import rebar and wire rod prices were steady this week following earlier reported price increases, even as weekly domestic markets remained stable and imports continue reduced as a result of ongoing steel import tariffs, market insiders told SteelOrbis.
“Record low imports as a result of tariffs and steady domestic pricing may lead to continued market tightness into early fall,” remarked one US Gulf Coast rebar importer. “We don’t expect at this point to see any additional price increases coming from US mills, especially since scrap markets settled sideways again for a third month,” said a second Gulf Coast long steel importer.
Market insiders say the combination of current 50 percent import tariffs and the expected outcome of recent anti-dumping investigations conducted by the US Department of Commerce (DOC) continue to limit the amount of firm offers received from overseas suppliers.
“Nobody on the import side can sell rebar at less than $41.00/cwt., right now” insiders say. “I think we need to see more domestic price increases, for imports to be able to do anything at all.”
Most recently, on August 12, a preliminary dumping margin of 18.87 percent was assigned for Colakoglu Metalurji A.S and Colakoglu Dis Ticaret A.S. of Turkey, with the DOC finding they sold rebar at less than fair value during the period of July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024. The final results of the investigation are expected within 120 days. The previous AD rate for the company stood at 1.13 percent, while the minimal rates for other Turkish mills were at 1.02 to 3.9 percent and up to 25.83 percent as highest.
On the US Gulf Coast, import rebar on a loaded truck basis is discussed unchanged at $41.00-43.00/cwt., ($820-860/nt or $904-948/mt), while East Coast import rebar is heard steady at $42.00-45.00/cwt., ($840-900/nt or $26-992/mt), on continued reports that suppliers continue to run out of some sizes of rebar product as imports wane and domestic mills struggle to fill the growing supply gap.
“We’re seeing July import licenses for rebar hit record lows of 34,051 tons,” the importer said. “That’s down 73 percent month on month and down 57 percent year on year.” He added that Egypt and Vietnam shipped zero rebar during the month of July due to ongoing AD/CVD cases brought before the US DOC.
Insiders tell SteelOrbis continued low imports and extended domestic lead times averaging 3-4 weeks for some long products could increase the risk of short-term shortages, while price floors are starting to form as a result of increased discipline [not continuing to raise prices] from both US and Mexican mills.
In the Mexican rebar markets, recent price increases driven by local supply reductions from ArcelorMittal’s long steel plant outage are expected to continue to contribute to price strength. While current 50 percent tariffs on Mexican steel make additional imports to the US unlikely, pre-tariff loaded truck supply basis Houston is discussed steady at $40-43/cwt., ($800-460/nt or $881-948/mt).
In the import wire rod markets, domestic suppliers continue to garner most new sales with import prices on a DDP loaded truck basis USG steady for a third week at $42.00-43.00/cwt., ($840-860/nt or $926-948/mt), against stable ex-mill delivered domestic Midwest supply pricing reports at $46.50-$47.50/cwt., ($930-950/nt or $1,025-1,047/mt).
US domestic rebar and wire rod both flat
Friday, 15 August 2025 17:39:01 (GMT+3) San Diego
US domestic rebar and wire rod are both flat this week as scrap remains sideways in August. A record low of US imports and extended domestic lead times are causing a tight supply environment in the country.
In the weekly rebar spot markets, domestic supply on an FOB mill basis was assessed with most transactions noted at $43.50-44.50/cwt, ($870-890/nt or $959-981/mt), on average $44.00/cwt, ($880/nt or $970/mt), unchanged from seven days ago. “Demand may be picking up especially due to the need for data centers and institutional and medical buildings,” according to a long steel insider.
In the domestic wire rod market, domestic supply on an FOB mill basis was assessed with most transactions reported this week at $46.50-47.50/cwt ($930-950/nt or $1,025-1,047/mt), or an average of $47.00/cwt ($940/nt or $1,036/mt), unchanged from seven days ago.
September US scrap prices seen sideways to down amid reports of lower weekly steel prices
Thursday, 14 August 2025 23:39:58 (GMT+3) San Diego
US scrap prices for the month of September are seen sideways to potentially lower this week in reaction to recent declines reported in flat steel markets, market insiders told SteelOrbis this week.
Market insiders told SteelOrbis that recent capacity additions from the likes of Nucor’s Big River steel mill as well as others in the US Southeast have increased steel output at a time when the growth in domestic steel demand is not keeping pace with increased supply, even though trimmed imports could begin to affect local supply availability. Bearish demand projections from the manufacturing and infrastructure sectors of the US economy are doing little to bolster steel prices, they said, despite an outlook for significant future growth from AI-inspired data centers.
Flat steel pricing for hot rolled coils is reported this week off an additional $5.00/nt at $835/nt ($920/mt), or $41.75/cwt., while pig iron used in US steel production is reported $10/mt lower at $430-450/mt CFR, market insiders said following the last-minute Trump reversal of threatened 50 percent tariffs on Brazilian pig iron.
“The September outlook seems very sideways, still,” said one Midwest-based mill scrap buyer. “There’s not much optimism with steel prices falling, and pig iron prices also already fell.” He added, “Demand is stable, but there’s still excess capacity available at the moment, and [steel] service centers are keeping their inventories low.”
“Two simple words,” said another SteelOrbis scrap insider, when asked about the September outlook following three straight months of steady scrap market pricing. “Not down.”
While lower scrap pricing would indeed buck the recent three months of sideways scrap price trend, some say September could finish down unless demand begins to pick up heading into the 4th quarter. “I’m hearing sideways to soft down possibly,” a New York state-based scrap yard owner told SteelOrbis.
Based on a sideways to down from August, September settlement, US Midwest prime busheling scrap in the Ohio Valley could settle at or below $435-460/gt ($443-468/mt), while shredded scrap might settle at or below $375-380/gt ($381-387/mt). Ohio Valley P&S and HMS grades are seen at or below $361-371/gt ($367-377/mt) and $325-345/gt ($330-387/mt), respectively, scrap insiders told SteelOrbis.
In the US Northeast, a sideways to potentially lower September scrap settle would put prime busheling grade material at or below $380-400/gt ($387-407/mt), while shredded grades could settle at or below $325-335/gt ($330-342/mt). P&S and HMS grades might finish at or below $295-305/gt ($300-310/mt) and 305-320/gt ($310-325/mt), respectively, scrap insiders told SteelOrbis this week.
SteelOrbis historical scrap data shows since monthly domestic scrap prices peaked in March ahead of much anticipated tariff announcements from the US Trump administration, the average price of Midwest Ohio Valley shredded scrap has slumped more than 24 percent from on average $506/gt ($514/mt) to $384/gt ($390/mt). HMS pricing in the US Northeast dropped a more conservative 22.8 percent during the equivalent period to on average $313/gt ($318/mt).
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