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    Analysis

    January 8, 2026

    SMU Survey: Mills hold firm on price to start 2026

    Written by Ethan Bernard

    Mill spot price negotiation rates have tumbled across all products SMU tracks, according to our latest survey data.

    SMU polls hundreds of service center and manufacturer buyers every other week, asking if domestic mills are negotiable on new spot order prices. This week, only 28% of respondents said mills were willing to talk price on orders, down 20 percentage points from our last market check on Dec. 10. This is the lowest rate since early April of last year, when it stood at 20% (Figure 1).

    Ethan Bernard

    Ethan Bernard is managing editor for Steel Market Update. He previously worked for American Metal Market as a copy editor in the New York office for two years, starting in 2008. Later, he copy edited AMM’s monthly magazine on a freelance basis from 2015 until 2017. With experience in financial copywriting and textbook publishing, he holds a BA in Comparative Literature from UC Berkeley, and an MFA in Creative Writing from New York University. He can be reached at ethan@steelmarketupdate.com or 724-759-7871.

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    SMU Survey: Mill willingness to negotiate price at lowest levels since 2021

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