SMU Survey: More mills willing to deal on sheet prices, less so on plate

Nearly two-thirds of the steel buyers who responded to this week’s SMU survey say domestic mills are negotiable on spot prices. This increasing flexibility marks a significant shift from the firmer stance mills held in recent months.

Since February, when tariff headlines drove domestic prices higher, mills had largely held all of the pricing power. Before that, buyers had the upper hand for nearly a year. By early March, the percentage of mills willing to negotiate fell to a near two-year low. But the tables have turned yet again. We saw mill negotiability increase across April, with this week marking the highest negotiation rate seen in almost three months.

Brett Linton

Brett Linton is a digital operations analyst for Steel Market Update, where he began his career. Linton has been in the steel industry since 2010. He has held roles as a category manager and strategic insights director at Reibus before returning to SMU in 2024. He is a graduate of The University of North Georgia with a degree in Finance and Accounting. Brett can be reached at brett@steelmarketupdate.com or 724-314-0179.