Analysis
August 7, 2026
Written by Kristen DiLandro
Recent conversations with hot-rolled (HR) coil spot market participants revealed spiking stress levels amid a tightening supply of steel sheet.
Some sources expressed doubt about whether demand would hold through the rest of the year. But if it does, they said they would have issues serving customers if not enough import arrives to supplement domestic HR.
Domestic raw steel output fell to a six-month low last week after hitting a multi-year high one week earlier, according to the latest American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) figures.
The domestic plate market is showing few signs of relief for steel buyers. Lead times are stretching well beyond seasonal norms, spot availability has all but evaporated, and mills are drawing hard lines on contract volumes heading into 2027 negotiations.
SSAB Americas announced immediate changes to pricing extras on select products, according to a letter sent to customers Friday morning.
Kibar Americas said production has started at its aluminum plant in Fairmont, W.Va., where it will manufacture products for the HVAC, packaging, automotive and industrial sectors.
The phrase “Fortress North America” seems to resurface anytime US, Canada, and Mexico trade negotiations roll around. The idea of an economic Fortress North America burst onto the scene in the late 1980s and early 1990s in the lead up to NAFTA. In theory...