Prices
June 11, 2026
HR buyers remain hopeful imports can meet spot demand
Written by Kristen DiLandro
Some domestic spot market buyers say they’re seeking imported hot-rolled (HR) coils.
In their estimation, imports provide timely access to HR for the spot market. More foreign HR in the US then alleviates the current strain on domestic mills.
Spot market demand, some contend, continues to outpace domestic mill capabilities. The sources say they’re seeking to improve their ability to restock and fulfill customer demand.
Market commentary
A Midwestern service center operator who does not purchase any non-US-made steel said he’s observing a scramble for spot market HR.
“We are getting a lot of calls from people coming out of the woodwork that you only hear from when they can’t get what they need from their normal suppliers,” he commented.
“The more imports start to show up, the more balance it will give the market,” he added. The same source wonders whether mills rethink their price strategy if imports appear.
A second service center in the Midwest has pivoted to stocking imported steel. Historically a domestic steel devotee, the source admitted to holding his nose, closing his eyes, and buying foreign HR.
“The person we work with found us a nice deal on high-quality imported HR. I told him I didn’t want to know any of the details, but that we’d take it,” he said.
The same source compared this year’s market sentiment to June 2025. A year ago, his organization required a purchase order prior to buying HR. Fast-forward to today, opportunistic buys for restocking put businesses with inventory at a competitive advantage. He noted that not making the buy puts centers at risk of losing customers. The tight market puts buyers in a position to look toward a competitor with stock on hand.
A steel distributor and service center located on the West Coast said his company purchases both domestic and imported products to remain consistent through market ups and downs. He finds the current environment lucrative because of his operations’ planning approach.
“We’re not having any issues with domestic suppliers in getting material or with late arrivals. I would say lead times we’ve found to be around six weeks or so. Having imports to keep inventory in check helps us out a lot,” he said.
Prices
During its June 9 weekly price assessment, SMU established that the range of hot-coil prices was $1,080 to $1,150 per short ton (st). On average, spot transactions occurred at $1,115/st.
