US import rebar and wire rod pricing has continued steady to higher amid continued low imports and as reports of local supply shortages persist, market insiders told SteelOrbis this week.
Insiders continue to lament that the combination of ongoing 50 percent steel import tariffs and the enhanced importer risk associated with ongoing antidumping cases currently under review by the US Department of Commerce (DOC) continues to limit the amount of import material being made available as an alternative to domestic supply. As domestic prices continue to rise, however, imports may be beginning to look more favorable.
“Supply availability is getting tighter and US mills are getting busier, so some limited imports may begin to be possible,” remarked one US Gulf Coast long steel insider to SteelOrbis. “Availability could be a developing issue in certain parts of the country where import product was predominantly sold,” said another long steel insider. “The US West is a bit more competitive,” he added.
Another SteelOrbis long steel importer source commented that shortages of rebar continue to become more frequent in parts of south Texas, with talk of supply allocations on existing supply contracts from domestic mills in the US Southeast beginning to be heard. Meaningful rebar supply relief from the Osceola, Arkansas-based Hybar rebar mill is not expected to be seen in the market until the fourth quarter, he said.
The same source added, “We’re seeing rebar imports at record lows with July licenses reported at 34,051 metric tons, down 73 percent month on month, with August pacing at 44,510 metric tons as of August 18. Domestic mills are running at high capacity of around 800,000 tons per month, but they continue to restrict spot orders in order to protect spot pricing markets.”
This week, import rebar on a loaded truck basis on the US Gulf Coast is discussed at $40-45/cwt., ($800-900/nt or $882-992/mt), depending on the size of the customer, with most transactions averaging $1.00/cwt. higher at $44.50/cwt, up from $43-44/cwt. ($860-880/nt or $948-970/mt), or on average $43.50/cwt. one week prior. Insiders said shortages in south Texas have caused some local suppliers to raise price offers toward $46-47/cwt, though it remains unclear whether buyers are interested yet.
On the US East Coast, import rebar gained a bit less again this week versus the Gulf Coast, insiders said, with most transactions averaging at $42-46/cwt., depending on customer size, settling the week about $0.50/cwt. higher at on average $45.00/cwt. ($900/nt or $992/mt). Reports persist of shortages of some sizes of rebar product as imports wane and domestic mills struggle to fill a growing supply gap by boosting output.
In the import wire rod markets, import wire rod offers in the Port of Houston are heard at $44-49/cwt. ($880- 980/nt or $970-1,080/mt) inclusive of tariffs, though most are deemed non-viable compared with domestic mesh trades heard flat this week at $42.50-43.50/cwt. ($850-870/nt or $937-959/mt).
“Since Nucor attempted a $20/ton increase in wire rod pricing in July, traction in the market has remained limited,” one Mexican long steel insider told SteelOrbis. “We’re seeing lead times for domestic wire rod at five to six weeks with demand fairly steady but not strong as a result of tariffs,” he added. “Imports remain scarce keeping supply balanced despite sluggish consumption as buyers continue to wait for lower interest rates before stepping up their orders.”
Recent industry reports from this week’s SMU Steel Summit in Atlanta, Georgia, indicated there is currently an 80 percent certainty in financial market circles that the US Federal Reserve will lower the over-night bank lending rate by a one-quarter point at the next Fed Open Market Committee meeting on September 16-17. Rates have remained at 4.25-4.50 percent since December 2024 and have been blamed for a general lack of investment in US infrastructure projects.
In the Mexican long steel markets, while 50 percent tariffs remain in place, pre-tariff rebar available in the vicinity of Houston, Texas, on a loaded truck basis is little changed at $40-42/cwt. ($800-840/nt or $937/mt to $959/mt), compared with earlier weekly estimates at $40-43/cwt., insiders said. As Mexico continues to deal with high export tariffs to the US, one Mexican trader told SteelOrbis that their direct sales of long steel to Canada via ship and rail have increased fourfold, helping to support recent local Mexican price stability in the face of unremarkable demand.