Inquiry activity within the US import rebar market is still muted this week, although sources attribute to the New Year slowness to general disinterest rather than a continuing pause from the holidays. Overall wariness continues to pervade the market, as “no one knows what will happen on any given day,” making long-term rebar planning difficult.
Even though US domestic rebar prices are trending upward, and some higher import offers were heard before the holidays, sources expect US import rebar offers to trend stable in the near-term. With order activity tepid, import rebar offers are unchanged this week at $29.50-$30.50 cwt. ($650-$672/mt or $590-$610/nt) DDP loaded truck at US Gulf ports from Spain, $29.50-$30.00 cwt. ($650-$661/mt or $590-$600/nt) DDP Houston from Mexico, and $29.00 cwt. ($640/mt or $580/nt) DDP loaded truck at US Gulf ports from Turkey.