US Steel Mills Raise Hot-Rolled Prices Again in Early November

US steel mills keep pushing prices up. On 2 November, Nucor set its consumer spot price for hot-rolled coil at $1,280 per short ton, up another $10 from the previous week. California Steel Industries on the west coast followed at $1,350 per short ton, and U.S. Steel moved its hot-rolled price into the $42 to $42.50 per hundredweight range. It is the third round of increases since mid-October, when ArcelorMittal led the first $40 per ton move.

Mills report order books stretching three to five weeks out with no sign of slack supply, which is why the increases have held despite soft demand elsewhere in the world. The gap between US domestic prices and export prices from Asia is now wide enough to change sourcing decisions.

For buyers of steel plate cutting parts, the effect is simple: if your project is priced against US domestic mill quotes, the material line item is climbing, and fabricated or semi-finished parts imported into the region carry a different duty and logistics picture than bare plate.

Two practical moves. First, lock tonnage for early 2027 now while mill lead times are still quoted in weeks rather than months. Second, when comparing quotes, always align the basis, because a per-ton cutting price on imported plate and a per-ton price on domestically bought plate sit on completely different material foundations.

We can supply carbon steel, weathering steel and wear resistant plate cutting parts with full mill certificates, and we quote against your cutting list so the comparison between routes is clear before you commit.