US import long steel pricing was steady to slightly higher this first post-holiday week of 2026 as rising domestic long steel prices are reported to be allowing the entry of an increased amount of steel imports into US ports, market insiders told SteelOrbis this week.
As previously reported by SteelOrbis, reports of low import-inspired domestic supplies on hand, consistent demand support from the US data center build sector, and a forecast for higher scrap pricing during January and now, potentially, February, continues to boost the short-term domestic long steel pricing outlook.
Market insiders told SteelOrbis imports from abroad are on the rise as domestic spot rebar values at $47.00-48/cwt., (up $1.00/cwt this week) have now risen to previously identified price levels where imports could begin to be more competitive with domestic material from a purely price perspective.
“Yes, long steel imports into the US are starting to gain some traction, but still not really very much more is coming in than we saw during the summer of 2025,” remarked one Midwest long steel market insider to SteelOrbis. “We’re now starting to see some limited amount of material coming into the US from countries such as Korea and Turkey as domestic prices continue to rise.”
Prior to the US holidays, long steel insiders told SteelOrbis US mills were very reluctant to increase long steel pricing for fear that doing so would cause an influx of new competitive imports. Like previous weeks, insiders continue to say the slow pace of the current US economic recovery has continued to keep domestic long steel demand “steady but limited,” even as tariff-reduced rebar and wire rod inventories continues to be an issue, especially for spot buyers on the US Gulf Coast.
A seasonal lull in finished steel demand, especially during the US holiday period stretching from Thanksgiving through New Years, they said, was expected to limit further long steel price increases through the end of 2025. Previous SteelOrbis market reports found most survey respondents expect a continuation of steady to higher steel pricing for Q1 2026.
On the US Gulf Coast, import rebar pricing on a loaded truck basis was reported $0.50/cwt., higher for the first week of 2026 at $45.00-47/cwt., ($900-940/nt or $992-1,036/mt), or on average $46/cwt. Spot import rebar pricing at US East Coast ports was reported $0.50/cwt., up at $46.00-46.50/cwt.
On the long steel demand side, media reports indicate demand from the US construction sector remains mixed, with total construction starts during the month of November off nearly 21 percent from October levels while non-residential building starts fell 13.4 percent and residential starts rose by 13.3 percent. Year over year construction starts for November were reported up a mere 1 percent, while non-residential starts rose 5.2 percent and residential starts fell by 3.7 percent. Reports note higher construction input costs, with copper and steel prices up sharply, while diesel prices remained steady, they said.
“I think the current outlook for [long steel] pricing is encouraging,” noted one import market observer, “based on a continuation of scant domestic supply and the outlook for higher January scrap.”
In the local US scrap markets, January shredded scrap is seen $30/gt ($30.48/mt) higher than equivalent December settle values at $415-420/gt ($422-427/mt). Another round of reports circulated this week that Tampa, Florida-based Gerdau steel was offering $30/gt premiums for all US steel grades with the exception of prime materials, where pricing was to be determined. Insiders reported to SteelOrbis that Midwest prime scrap -following December’s $20/gt increase- could trade on average $20/gt higher versus December settles during January supply negotiations that are expected to conclude later this week or early next week. During December scrap buy-cycle negotiations, initial reports on Gerdau offering higher prices sparked average $10-20/gt gains across the board for December scrap.
On the wire rod front, imported mesh material on a DDP loaded truck basis US Gulf is quoted in continued thin trade at $44.00-45/cwt., ($880-900/nt or $970-992/mt), up from $42.00-43.00/cwt., ($840-860/nt or $926-948/mt), following recent Nucor announcements of additional $40/ton ($2.00/cwt.) increases in domestic wire rod prices.
And, while it remained unclear at last report whether the US spot market would accept the higher price offers on engineered wire mesh pricing from Nucor, continued supply tightness in local markets and a higher likelihood for rising January scrap pricing this week appears to have increased market acceptance of Nucor’s new pricing offers, insiders said.