Although feedback from US wire rod traders to Turkish mills has quieted during Christmas, there is every indication that once US companies resume operations after the New Year's holiday next week, traders will once again pressure Turkish mills to back off of price ranges that are undesirable to wire rod buyers in the US. As such, the current offer range is unchanged this week at $32.00-$33.00 cwt. ($705-$728/mt or $640-$660/nt) DDP loaded truck in US Gulf ports. As for Chinese wire rod offers, a slight downtrend in the Chinese domestic market might inspire some US traders to negotiate offers downward. By the end of next week, the relationship between interest in Chinese wire rod and available offers will be clearer.
On the US domestic front, many wire product producers, mills, distributors and traders are still closed for the holiday season, and thus US domestic wire rod spot prices are unchanged at $33.00-$34.00 cwt. ($728-$750/mt or $660-$680/nt) ex-Midwest mill. With hopes for a slight uptrend in scrap prices next month, however, confidence is growing that the New Year will bring new firmness in US wire rod prices, with a potential uptick in pricing.