US import long steel pricing remained mostly stable in thin trade this week following the long US Thanksgiving holiday, as US steel markets wrestled with the start of December ferrous scrap supply negotiations. While scrap pricing was discussed mostly stable throughout the month of November, this week saw late reports of $20/gt ($20/mt) December premiums from US scrap suppliers and mills.
Market insiders told SteelOrbis higher scrap prices for December could lead to further price increases from US long steel mills, now potentially facing higher steel production costs. Likely competition from imports that may occur as a result though, might temper the amount of increases, they cautioned.
“Right now, import pricing for rebar is stable waiting on the outcome of December scrap,” said one US Midwest long steel importer. “I think we will need to see scrap pricing rise in order for domestic rebar pricing to rise again.”
On Nov. 7, Charlotte, North Carolina-based steel maker Nucor increased is posted prices for rebar by $30/nt or $1.50/cwt. No posted rebar price increases have been reported by the mill since that date, and weekly spot pricing has largely been stable following a brief increase following the Nucor price announcement.
Insiders told SteelOrbis a domestic rebar price approaching $47.00-48.00/cwt., ($940-960/nt or $1,036-1,058/mt), might encourage an “influx” of new rebar imports into the US Gulf Coast and US East Coast markets. Current domestic rebar spot pricing remained steady for a second week at $46.00-47.00/cwt., ($920-940/nt or $1,014-1,036/mt), just short though very near to the stated import price threshold.
“We are out of rebar inventory until the first part of January,” commented one long steel rebar importer, regarding reports of limited import stocks. “So, it’s hard to gauge where imports pricing really is at the moment. As a result, it’s been fairly quiet for us.”
On the US Gulf Coast, following reports of earlier small weekly gains, import rebar pricing on a loaded truck basis was reported steady in a $44.00-47.00/cwt., ($880-940/nt or $970-1,036/mt) range, or on average $45.50/cwt., up from $44.00-46.00/cwt., ($880-920/nt or $970-1,014/mt) reported two weeks earlier. Reports continue to circulate about shrinking supply availability at Gulf Coast and East Coast supply warehouses forcing sellers to seek higher pricing for available but shrinking inventory.
On the US East Coast, import rebar on a loaded truck basis was assessed slightly higher versus week-ago levels at $44.00-47.00/cwt., ($880-940/nt or $970-1,036/mt), once again, on par with US Gulf Coast pricing.
“East Coast rebar is priced at $44.00-47.00/cwt, with maybe some lower pricing mentioned than $44.00/cwt., though I kind of doubt it,” remarked one US East Coast rebar importer. “Now that the [Nucor domestic] price increase is fully in effect, it will be interesting to see who holds and who folds [on pricing]. We have had some customer push back, but I have not seen the mills budge as of yet,” he said. “Customers are pushing back because it is not that busy out there, and they don’t want to get stuck with rebar at a higher number if the mills do decide to drop their prices. I don’t see that happening, but that’s the feedback we are hearing.”
On the supply side, as Q1 2026 import rebar arrivals from Turkey, South Korea, and Malaysia are forecast to rise as a result of recent increases to domestic prices, market insiders said import rebar prices for the first three months of 2026 is likely to average $44.00-45.00/cwt ($880-900/nt or $970-992/mt), little changed from price levels quoted in early June, prior to new anti-dumping (AD) investigations announced by the US Dept. of Commerce (DOC) against Algeria, Bulgaria, Egypt, and Vietnam. A final determination from the DOC is expected by Jan. 26, 2026.
SteelOrbis import data for the first eight months of 2025 shows total imports of rebar from abroad at 638,136 metric tons (mt), just short of 80,000 mt a month. Recently market insiders told SteelOrbis total imports for all of Q4, 2025 would average about 50,000 mt as a result of curtailed shipments from countries currently under AD investigations.
On the import wire rod front, US Gulf Coast import pricing for wire rod mesh on a DDP loaded truck basis remains steady for yet another week at $42.00-43.00/cwt., ($840-860/nt or $926-948/mt).