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    SMU price ranges: Sheet still declining, bottom elusive

    Written by Brett Linton & David Schollaert


    US sheet prices moved lower again this week, continuing a trend seen since early April. The slowdown aligns with the typical summer doldrums, when lax demand and shorter lead times often take center stage.

    The current market is also characterized by ample supply and concerns about restocking – especially with few signs of a bottom yet in sight, sources said.

    Brett Linton

    Read more from Brett Linton

    David Schollaert

    Read more from David Schollaert

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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.