SMU Survey: Mill willingness to negotiate remains high

Domestic mills are more open to talk price on new orders than they were in June, according to most steel buyers responding to our market survey this week. Negotiation rates have recovered from the early-June lull and are now just a few percentage points shy of the high levels seen late last year.

The uptick in price flexibility over the past month marks a notable shift from the firmer stance mills held earlier this year when tariff headlines pushed the market higher. That leverage shifted back to buyers in April and May as negotiation rates climbed to multi-month highs. In early June, we saw mills briefly regain control amid renewed tariff headlines, but that power has since swung back to buyers.

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.