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    April 3, 2025

    US, offshore HRC prices differ widely on tariff situation

    Written by David Schollaert

    Domestic hot-rolled (HR) coil prices declined this week, a trend again reflected in most offshore markets. Despite similarities, the shifting tariff landscape has made for a wild ride in Q1.

    The threat of tariffs over the past two months led to rising US prices. But the re-emergence of Section 232 on March 12, paired with a recoil in buying, narrowed the domestic premium over imports on a landed basis.

    David Schollaert

    David Schollaert is deputy editor-in-chief for Steel Market Update. David joined SMU after more than a decade in the metals and mining industry in a myriad of different roles. Much of his early experience and expertise were within the coverage and analysis of steel-making raw materials and served previously as senior editor of the CRU Prices Service. Most recently, however, before his return to market analysis, David held roles as a metals buyer and an operations manager for raw material suppliers. He can be contacted at david@steelmarketupdate.com or 724-720-1008.

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