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    Analysis

    August 6, 2026

    SMU Survey: Buyers continue to report limited mill negotiability

    Written by Brett Linton

    According to most steel buyers responding to our market survey this week, mills are unwilling to budge on new sheet and plate spot order prices. Negotiation rates have been low for most of this year, recently falling to one of the lowest levels recorded in almost five years.

    Every two weeks, SMU surveys an array of service center and manufacturer buyers asking if mills are negotiable on new spot sheet and plate orders. In this week’s survey, only 13% of respondents said mills were willing to talk price to secure an order (Figure 1). This is up by three percentage points compared to our mid-July survey, which was the lowest measure recorded since September 2021.

    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.

    Read more from Brett Linton

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