SMU Survey: Few buyers report mills are negotiable on sheet and plate prices

Only a third of the steel buyers who responded to our market survey this week reported domestic mills are willing to talk price to secure new spot orders. Mills began to hold a firmer stance on prices back in late 2025 and tightened their grip further at the start of the year.

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, 34% of respondents said mills were willing to talk price to secure an order. This is up six points from our early January survey, which was the lowest rate measured in over nine months (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.