US flat steel pricing continued to trend steady to higher this week, fueled by steady domestic demand, reduced tariff-related flat steel imports, as well as US scrap prices that are expected to settle steady to higher for December, market insiders told SteelOrbis.
Steel Orbis data shows imports of flat steel from the US’ two key North American trade partners Canada and Mexico, are off sharply from year-ago levels as a result of Section 232 steel tariffs that were doubled to 50 percent on June 4. As a result, hot rolled coils from Canada alone, totaled 42,992 metric tons (mt), off 48.4 percent from the 83,250 mt imported during the equivalent month one year prior. For Mexico, US imports of hot rolled coils dropped 52.1 percent from the 7,377 mt reported for August 2024 to the 3,535 mt registered for all of August 2025.
“Demand is strong and all the mill lead times seem to have been pushed back into February,” said one East Coast flat steel insider, commenting on this week’s continued rise in HRC pricing. Average HRC mill lead times for new flat steel production have lengthened from 8-10 weeks recently to 8-12 weeks, the insider said.
The weekly SteelOrbis HRC spot price average finished the week up another $22/nt to on average $895/nt ($987/mt), or $44.75/cwt., up from $873/nt., ($962/mt), or $43.65/cwt., one week ago. Since bottoming at $800/nt during the week of September 22, SteelOrbis historical data shows HRC spot prices have risen nearly 12 percent.
Rising domestic scrap prices also continue to be supportive for flat steel and other finished steel products. US Midwest shredded scrap is expected to settle during this week’s December supply negotiations, up $20/gt ($22/mt) to on average at $385-390/gt ($391-396/mt). Other grades are likely to finish steady to up from November levels.
On the mill side, US steel producer, Charlotte, North Carolina-based Nucor, increased its weekly Consumer Spot Price (CSP) for hot-rolled coils for a sixth straight week, up another $5/nt following a previous $5/nt weekly rise to $920/nt ($1,014/mt), or $46.00/cwt., up from $915/nt ($1,009/mt), or $45.75/cwt., a week earlier. Prior to the recent weekly price increases, the Nucor CSP was flat for eight weeks at $875/nt ($965/mt), or $43.75/cwt., while spot prices continued upward.
In other flat steel markets, cold rolled coil pricing was flat in thin trade, finishing the week at $1,050/nt, ($1,157/mt), or $52.50/nt. Given an $22/nt weekly increase in HRC prices and flat pricing reported for CRC values, the current spread between HRC and CRC steel grades stands at $155/nt ($171/mt) or $7.75/cwt., off from $177/nt ($195/mt), or $8.85/cwt., one week ago.
In the coated steel markets, the SteelOrbis hot-dipped galvanized base supply price without extras was flat following a small increase one week earlier at $970/nt ($1,069/mt), or $48.50/cwt.
US pipe prices, often referenced in flat steel discussions, were flat this week, despite continued strength in flat steel markets. Last week, when pipe trade was busier, standard ERW X-52 pipe prices rose $20/nt ($22/mt) on the heels of continued price increases seen in flat steel, pipe traders told SteelOrbis.
