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    SMU Price Ranges & Indices: Modest Increase as HR Tops $700

    Written by Brett Linton


    Flat rolled steel prices continued to rise last week, though at a modest $5-10 per ton pace. The exception was Galvalume, which jumped by $40 as demand continues to outpace supplies. The benchmark average for hot rolled coil, at $710 per ton, surpassed the $700 level, where many had expected it to peak. With demand and scrap prices defying the usual seasonal downturn, Steel Market Update’s Price Momentum Indicator continues to point toward higher finished steel prices this year. 

    Here is how we see prices this week:

    Brett Linton

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    Plate supply squeeze tightens as demand presses higher

    The domestic plate market is showing few signs of relief for steel buyers. Lead times are stretching well beyond seasonal norms, spot availability has all but evaporated, and mills are drawing hard lines on contract volumes heading into 2027 negotiations. And the supply squeeze will likely intensify in a market that some industry sources say is structurally undersupplied because of stringent US trade and tariff policies. Imports have been arriving in larger volumes, and the expectation is they will continue to tick higher into 2027. The big question is whether those foreign tons will arrive in volumes sufficient to provide the relief steel consumers want.