After demand for steel dropped during the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019, steel prices also took a hit. However, in 2021, hot-rolled coil (HRC) steel prices were projected to rebound to around 555 U.S. dollars per metric ton—a 15 percent recovery from the dip in prices that had continued into 2020.

The U.S. market by the end of 2021 The United States is among the markets where hot-rolled coil (HRC) steel prices are the highest in the world. It was expected that U.S. steel distributors and producers, such as Nucor and United States Steel, would benefit from the steel tariffs on U.S. imports that came into effect in the spring of 2018. At the same time, U.S. imports from the countries subjected to the so-called Section 232 tariffs were projected to decline. By the end of 2021, Canada was the main country of origin for the U.S.’s imports for consumption of steel products.

Impact on the Chinese market Even though a large part of China's steel exports to the United States had already been restricted through antidumping or countervailing duties, trade tensions put pressure on steel markets worldwide, including China. Chinese steel product imports amounted to 717.7 million U.S. dollars, making it the ninth country of origin for steel products in the United States. Overall, rolled steel was the seventh largest category of Chinese export goods in 2021, amounting to almost 529 billion yuan (approximately 82 billion U.S. dollars). This comes after China's steel sector had a drop in sales to its domestic auto sector in early 2019.

Steel decreased 101 Yuan/MT or 3.05% since the beginning of 2025, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks the benchmark market for this commodity. Steel - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on March of 2025.

Iron and steel scrap prices in the United State stood at around 325 U.S. dollars per metric ton in 2024. The majority of domestic steel industry scrap consumption is from manufacturers of raw steel, and steel castings. These raw materials are used to produce steel products that are used for appliances, construction, machinery, and transportation, among various other industry uses. Only small amounts of steel scrap were used for the production of ferroalloys, copper precipitation, and the chemical industry. Recycling scrap Recycled iron and steel scrap materials have been essential for the production of new steel and cast iron products. Vehicles are one of the largest sources of old steel scrap used for recycling and nearly 100 percent of cars are recycled for their scrap material. It is expected that the recycling rate for scrap materials from appliances and construction purposes should rise, especially as public interest for recycling grows and profitability increases.

HRC Steel increased 180.96 USD/T or 25.52% since the beginning of 2025, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks the benchmark market for this commodity. This dataset includes a chart with historical data for HRC Steel.

This statistic shows the monthly prices of U.S. flat rolled steel throughout 2018, with a breakdown by main product type. Flat rolled steel is often used in pipe work, boilers, and construction. Plate steel, which is a relatively thick product and used in shipbuilding, cost 700 U.S. dollars per short ton at the start of 2018 in January.

Discover the latest update on US steel wire prices, as they experience a modest decline to $1,830 per ton, and learn about factors influencing the market

From May to August 2018, rebar products cost 710 U.S. dollars per short ton. Rebar, which is short for reinforcing bar, is used to reinforce concrete or other aspects of masonry in order to provide tensile strength to large structures.

In August 2022, the steel wire price per ton amounted to $2.0K (CIF, US), stabilizing at the previous month.

During the last quarter of 2024, the steel plate prices in the United States reached 1126 USD/Ton in December. The market experienced price volatility due to inconsistent sector performance and cautious buyer mood. Although car sales increased, high mortgage rates and a lack of workers caused broader construction activity to lag. Although manufacturing appeared to be slightly improving, raw steel production was still below historical levels.

Explore IMARC’s newly published report, titled “Steel Plate Prices, Trend, Chart, Demand, Market Analysis, News, Historical and Forecast Data Report 2024 Edition,” offers an in-depth analysis of steel plate pricing, covering an analysis of global and regional market trends and the critical factors driving these price movements.

Graph and download economic data for Producer Price Index by Commodity: Metals and Metal Products: Iron and Steel (WPU101) from Jan 1926 to Feb 2025 about iron, steel, metals, commodities, PPI, inflation, price index, indexes, price, and USA.

In June 2022, the steel spring price per ton amounted to $3,152 per ton, waning by -2.3% against the previous month.

Get the latest insights on price movement and trend analysis of Stainless Steel (316) in different regions across the world (Asia, Europe, North America, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa).

The price of Hot-Rolled Steel Bar and Rod in July 2023 was $995 per ton (CIF, US), experiencing a 6.7% increase compared to the previous month.

The stainless steel prices in the United States for Q3 2024 reached 3985 USD/MT in September. The USA faced rise in prices driven by robust demand for stainless steel from sectors like automotive and construction. Despite challenges like increased imports and global market uncertainties, the pricing environment displayed strong upward momentum.

Explore IMARC’s newly published report, titled “Stainless Steel Prices, Trend, Chart, Demand, Market Analysis, News, Historical and Forecast Data Report 2025 Edition,” offers an in-depth analysis of stainless steel pricing, covering an analysis of global and regional market trends and the critical factors driving these price movements.

In 2021, iron and steel recycling in the U.S. stood at nearly 20 billion U.S. dollars, a year-over-year increase of over 90 percent. This increase was mainly associated with iron and steel scrap prices nearly doubling in the period. At over 400 U.S. dollars per metric ton, it was the highest price recorded in at least a decade.

In 2023, the price of fabricated structural steel in the United Kingdom has fallen by over 20 percent. That came after the cost of that building material soared between 2020 and 2022. Most of that price increase happened in 2021, with a growth rate of 52.6 percent that year. Structural steel is widely used for construction because it is durable, malleable, and strong, while also being cheaper than many other metals. For example, it is often used as a structural material for skyscrapers and other buildings, as well as for infrastructure. Why has the price of steel increased? Those price increases seen until 2022 have not just affected the UK, but many other countries around the world. For example, the cost of fabricated structural metal in the U.S. and that of structural steel and other steel products in Germany reached their highest growth rate in 2022. Supply chain disruptions along with a decrease in the global production of crude steel in 2020 were some of the main reasons for those price hikes in 2021. In addition to that, the price of iron ore, which is the main component of steel, and energy also had a strong impact on the final price of steel products those years. Largest steel producers In the past couple of years, China was by far the largest steel producer in the world, with a production volume that was well over seven times higher than that of the second country in the ranking: India. Although the United States was also on that list along with Japan and Russia, it was not among the leading exporters of steel. The reason for that discrepancy is that a big share of the production in countries of the size of the U.S., China, and India goes to fill their own domestic needs. Meanwhile, nine of the 15 companies with the highest output of steel came from China, with the rest coming from Luxembourg, Japan, South Korea, India, and the U.S.

The Galvanized Steel Market size was valued at USD 98.80 USD Billion in 2023 and is projected to reach USD 147.58 USD Billion by 2032, exhibiting a CAGR of 5.9 % during the forecast period. Zinc-coated steel called galvanized steel is popular for the production of buildings, automobiles, and all kinds of home appliances where durability and being able to resist corrosion are important. Kinds include plated-in dips and electroless that provide variety. Technology innovations enable higher production rates with less waste – which means the overall environmental impact is reduced. It is an extended-use technique that increases the life span of the product, reduces maintenance and improves the structural integrity. One of the benefits herein is the high level of durability and simplicity in maintenance as well as the possibility to recycle it. This makes the material a first choice in most applications across many industries. Recent developments include: December 2023: Nippon Steel entered into an agreement to acquire U. S. Steel Corporation. The company will acquire U. S. Steel in an all-cash transaction for USD 55.00 per share. This acquisition is expected to close in the second or third quarter of 2024., October 2022: ThyssenKrupp Steel introduced a new hot-dip galvanizing line at the Dortmund location, namely FBA 10. With this introduction, the company now has two modern hot-dip galvanizing lines and reached a total production capacity of nearly 1 million metric tons per year., September 2022: Nucor Corporation has announced it is ready to construct two new flat-rolled galvanizing lines at Nucor Steel Berkeley in South Carolina and another one in western U.S. which will commence its operations in mid-2025. The company’s expansion strategy helps it expand its capabilities and grow its participation in the consumer durables and automotive markets., August 2022: Ansteel Group acquired a Benxi Steel Company. This acquisition helps Ansteel Group to expand their steel capacity to 63 mn t/year. With this acquisition, Benxi Steel Company became a second-level subsidiary of Ansteel Group. Such acquisition creates an opportunity to increase the company's share in the market., February 2022: Nucor Corporation acquired California Steel Industries, Inc. (CSI) for a cash purchase price of USD 400 million. The acquired company operates to offer cold rolled, hot rolled, oiled and pickled, galvanized and ERW pipe. Such strategic developments help Nucor Corporation to make a strong presence in the Western region.. Key drivers for this market are: Growing Product Demand from Various End-use Industries to Drive Market Growth. Potential restraints include: High Price Volatility of Raw Types to Restrain Market Growth. Notable trends are: Increasing Trend toward the Use of Electro-Galvanizing Steel in Manufacturing Electric Parts to Present Market Growth.

This statistic shows steel scrap prices worldwide between the 2013 and 2016 calendar years, and gives a forecast through 2021. In 2018, it is expected that the price of steel scrap will come to around 197 U.S. dollars per metric ton.

Cleveland-Cliffs announces $900 per tonne price for April hot-rolled steel, aligning with US market stabilization trends.

The steel rebar prices in the United States for Q3 2024 reached 860 USD/MT in September. The region experienced notable price drops amid declining demand and excess supply. Prices consistently trended downward, with a minor decrease at the end of the quarter. This persistent bearish sentiment highlighted ongoing challenges in stabilizing the market as excess supply continued to weigh heavily on pricing dynamics.