US domestic rebar and wire rod prices were steady this week, continuing a trend reported a week earlier, following March’s flat scrap price settlements and amid continued reports that domestic long steel production, primarily in the form of rebar, continues to increase, market insiders told SteelOrbis.
Insiders said increasing long steel output from Charlotte, North Carolina-based Nucor’s 430,000-ton per year Lexington rebar mini mill, as well as boosted output from Hybar Steel's 700,000 per year plant in Arkansas is keeping a lid on domestic rebar price increases.
“At the moment, new mills in the US continue to pump out more tons of rebar into the market which is keeping prices pretty flat,” said one Midwest rebar insider. “We’re also hearing more reports of an expectation for lower scrap prices for April.”
During the recent March buy-cycle ferrous scrap negotiations, March US Midwest shredded scrap, most often quoted as a key input for domestic rebar production, traded steady to February price levels at $445-450/gt ($452-456/mt). Since the beginning of 2026, SteelOrbis data shows Midwest shredded scrap pricing has increased more than 7 percent, while rebar pricing has gained about 3.2 percent. Prior to recent flat scrap settles, US scrap prices finished higher for each month since December. April scrap is seen steady to potentially $10-20/gt less, scrap insiders told SteelOrbis .
Importers said the ongoing conflict with Iran could cause long steel import prices to continue higher, which might make domestic supply an even more attractive supply option. And while import rebar pricing posted steady this week, import wire rod prices posted increases amid reports that some overseas mills were not offering new supply as Midwest tensions continue and soaring oil prices boosted the price of shipping product to markets.
Domestic rebar prices on an FOB Midwest mill basis remained flat on the week at $47.50-48.50/cwt., ($950-970/nt or $1,047-1,069/mt), off from $48.00-49/cwt., ($960-980/nt or $1,058-1,080/mt) two weeks prior, a level where pricing stood unchanged for five weeks.
In the wire rod markets, insiders said supply-side issues could continue to support domestic long steel prices near term, especially wire. And, despite some seasonal declines in domestic demand ahead of the start of the spring construction season, insiders continue to report output from Peoria, Illinois-based Liberty Steel remains below its stated 700,000 ton capacity. The late-January sudden closure of Alton Steel’s 750,000 ton electric arc furnace in Alton, Illinois, also could continue to fuel pricing strength for large-sized wire rods, they said.
In the domestic wire rod markets, following a week-ago $0.50/cwt., price increase, prices finished flat at $49.00-50.00/cwt., ($980-1,000/nt or $1,080-1,102/mt), up from $48.50-49.50/cwt., ($970-990/nt or $1,069-1,091/mt) two weeks earlier. Insiders told SteelOrbis this week they expect wire rod pricing to remain strong near term with additional weekly price increases likely as domestic supply could remain tight with imports limited, especially as tensions remain heightened in the Mideast.
