Analysis
June 19, 2025
Hot-rolled price hikes garner mixed reactions from the market
Written by Kristen DiLandro
Several steel market sources say they were blindsided when mills increased spot prices for hot-rolled coils this week. Reactions to the $10/per short ton Nucor price increase were more palatable to consumers than more aggressive hikes into the mid-$900s/st.
The reason sources found the mill increases so off-putting? From coast-to-coast and from supercenter to service center, steel insiders say that end market demand remains at a trickle. All sources agree that steel supplies remain ample, and that lead times continue to remain standard.
