Sources have said in recently that with demand for wire rod in the US remaining so lackluster, the only factor that could boost interest in imports would be higher domestic prices. Now that rumors are circulating about a possible US wire rod mill price increase announcement—or at the very least, a quiet firming of prices with no announcement—US wire rod importers are reportedly hoping higher US domestic prices will lead to bookings, since import offers haven’t changed.
The last-heard US import wire rod offers from Germany were at $26.00-$27.00 cwt. ($573-$595/mt or $520-$540/nt) DDP loaded truck in US Gulf ports, and sources say offers are unlikely to change in the near-term.