SMU Survey: Mills less negotiable on spot prices

Most steel buyers responding to our market survey this week reported domestic mills are considerably less willing to talk price on sheet and plate products than in recent weeks.

SMU polls hundreds of service center and manufacturer buyers every other week to see if domestic mills are negotiable on new spot order prices. This week, 71% of respondents said mills were willing to talk price to secure an order. This is down 19 points from our previous survey and the lowest rate measured since June (Figure 1).

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.