As expected last week, US import rebar offers have trended slightly downward in the last week, and sources say lower prices are leading to higher interest in booking import tons. Offers from Turkey are down $0.50 cwt. ($11/mt or $10/nt) week-on-week, with prices now in the range of $45.00-$46.00 cwt. ($992-$1,014/mt or $900-$920/nt) DDP loaded truck in US Gulf ports. Import rebar offers from Mexico, meanwhile, are now at $46.00-$48.00 cwt. ($1,014-$1,058/mt or $920-$960/nt) DDP Houston.
Interest in rebar imports has been steadily rising over the last few months after a late spring lull, and the most recent steel import data show September arrivals should far surpass August totals. As of Sept. 13, import rebar permits have already reached 87,640 mt, compared to 60,446 mt in import permits for August.