July 17, 2025

June Imports Keep Rebar Spot Prices at Around $840/ton

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Rebar market participants tell WSD that June saw a “decent volume” of imports despite tariffs and offers from Gulf port warehouses for spot rebar now generally in the $780-$820 per ton range. Domestic pricing, however, is firmer elsewhere, they say—at around $820-$860 per ton.

Spot market players explain that East Coast US rebar prices tend to be slightly higher in the Northeast due to strong demand from big cities and higher logistics costs. West Coast prices are also elevated due to longer transport distances and limited local production capacity.

The Midwest is seeing somewhat more competitive pricing, given the presence of several big, long-product steel mills. Spot prices are lowest in the southern US due to imports via Gulf ports and increased domestic production.

The US Bureau of Census has yet to release June monthly steel import data, but through May rebar imports were running just under 10% for the same period a year ago — 426,480 metric tons during the first five months of 2025 versus 472,064 mt through May 2024.

Traders tell WSD they have not heard of any upcoming offshore bookings more recently and are looking to move what came in during June and before. “Additionally, we have new domestic capacity coming online, so many are monitoring the pricing window,” a steel trader in the southern US told WSD.

“Ongoing infrastructure projects in the US are the main reason for cautious optimism regarding rebar demand the remainder of this year,” said a mill rep.

A trader added: “The ever-changing tariff and trade policy, of course, could impact the market’s dynamics. But enough offshore material is still on the ground here (in the US) to give buyers an alternative to domestic purchases.”