US domestic flat steel pricing continued to advance this week, with spot hot-rolled coil (HRC) pricing surpassing $1,100/nt ($1,213/mt), or $55.00/cwt., the first time such lofty price levels have been seen since early-May 2023, SteelOrbis weekly data shows.
Market insiders told SteelOrbis recently that US mills have little fear of continuing to raise price offers since imports remain so severely restricted as a result of ongoing Section 232 steel import tariffs, which were doubled to 50 percent levels in June 2025, slashing yearly finished steel imports into the US by as much as 30 percent.
And, since June 2025, SteelOrbis data shows HRC prices have advanced 31.8 percent. That import situation could be changing, though as spot prices continue to advance to levels where imports can start to compete, insiders now say.
“Our feeling is that the (mills) are doing very little spot to keep (prices) elevated,” remarked one US Gulf Coast spot market insider. “They say business is great, but they do not have spot tons available.”
He continued. “We will be buying our spot HRC from Korea or Mexico. The domestic “steel cartel,” has raised prices such that imports are now viable again. There are big import volumes of HRC available at the Houston docks now.”
In the weekly HRC markets, the SteelOrbis weekly average price finished the week $10/nt higher at $1,107/nt, ($1,220/mt), or $55.35/cwt., following last week’s $12/nt price increase to $1,097/nt ($1,209/mt), or $54.85/cwt., on an FOB mill basis.
This week, Charlotte, North Carolina-based Nucor continued to advance its HRC flat steel prices for a 20th straight week, posting its Consumer Spot Price (CSP) for flat-rolled coils at $1,105/nt ($1,218/mt), or $55.25/cwt., up $10/nt from $1,095/nt ($1,273/mt), or $54.75/cwt., on an FOB basis one week earlier. Nucor’s California Steel Industries (CSI) CSP index also rose $10/nt to finish the week at $1,155/nt ($1,273/mt) or $57.75/cwt., up from $1,145/nt ($1,262/mt), or $57.25/cwt., one week before.
In the cold rolled coil markets, spot pricing continued $20/nt higher, posting another recent weekly high of $1,290/nt ($1,422/mt), or $64.50/cwt., up from last week’s $18/nt price rise to $1,270/nt ($1,400/mt), or $63.50/cwt. Based on a $10/nt rise in weekly HRC prices and another $20/nt increase in weekly CRC values, the current spread between the two key steel grades increased $10/nt on the week to $183/nt or $9.15/cwt., up from $173/nt or $8.65/cwt., one week earlier.
In the hot-dipped galvenized markets, spot pricing once again rose $10/nt to finish the week at $1,280/nt ($1,411/mt), or $64.00/cwt., up from last week’s $25/nt increase to $1,270/nt ($1,400/mt), or $63.50/cwt. Interestingly, the price of CRC remains higher than that posted for HDG for a second week, the first such time that spread has occurred since June 2025, right around the time President Trump announced doubled 50 percent steel import tariffs.
