Distributors/Service Centers
March 6, 2026
Sheet sources laud stable demand and solid prices
Written by Kristen DiLandro
Participants in the US hot- and cold-rolled sheet market cautiously called the week a win as prices inched north and demand picked up.
Following weeks of tepid market conditions marked by uncertainty and patchy orders, the market found the week to be steady overall.
A mill source in the Midwest said business remained stable, and prices remained consistently high compared to previous weeks.
“We are selling HRC above $1,000 per short ton (st) and customers are not thinking twice about buying it when it’s needed. We are in May for all our lead times. For some coated products, we will be moving into June in a couple of weeks,” he said.
On the West Coast, a service center source contends demand for hot-rolled coil has been the strongest it has been in months.
“To my surprise, the domestic mills are fairly busy. Their lead times have extended, and we see Nucor’s price keeps going up on a weekly basis,” the source said.
“When I was talking with friends this week, they told me (an integrated mill) is also busy. They said they’ve found them less negotiable than they were a couple of months ago,” the West Coast market participant added.
Prices
SMU’s weekly sheet market price assessment on March 3 found hot-rolled coil spot transactions ranged from $990-1,020/st. The average transaction price was $1,005/st.
In the equivalent week of 2025, the average HR price was $925/st.
This week, SMU found cold-rolled coil prices ranged from $1,110-1,170/st, averaging $1,140/st. In the same week a year earlier, the CR price average was $1,090/st.
Find and compare historical pricing data for steel and scrap using the SMU’s Interactive Pricing Tool.
All prices are ex-works, domestic mill, unless otherwise noted.
