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    Analysis

    July 27, 2026

    SMU Survey: More buyers return to foreign steel as competitiveness improves

    Written by Laura Miller

    With domestic steel prices continuing to rise, foreign steel is gaining traction with US buyers, according to SMU’s most recent Flat-Rolled Steel Survey. Most manufacturers and service centers now report competitive import pricing, and more are placing new foreign orders. Trading companies also see stronger demand, with all respondents saying offshore material is currently attractive to US buyers.

    Import pricing

    Laura Miller

    Laura Miller is a reporter and editor for Steel Market Update. She has held various editorial positions with steel industry publications, associations, and mills since 2007. She joined the SMU team in 2022. She is a member of the Association of Women in the Metal Industries and a past-president of the AWMI Pittsburgh Chapter. She holds a BA in Latin American Studies from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.

    Read more from Laura Miller

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