US Scrap Trends Outlook: April

North American steel scrap prices are expected to rise in April, for a fifth straight month, supported by a lingering shortage of certain grades of material and steady demand

Steel scrap prices in April

The bullish sentiment held the Trend Indicator in positive territory with a reading of 58.8 for April, down from 65.2 for March. The Outlook’s prediction model suggests that steel scrap prices have the potential to rise by an average of 6.3% in April.

That expectation comes amid reports that steel mills were unable to fully cover all their requirements in March, with domestic steel scrap inventory levels depleted in the wake of robust domestic and overseas demand in recent weeks.

Market responds to rising steel scrap prices

Just over half of respondents to the survey expected prices to rise in April, while 28% said that prices would trade sideways. More than one third of respondents said that stronger demand would be the main driver behind the upswing in prices, while just under 20% anticipated unchanged market conditions, and a similar amount expected demand to weaken compared with March.

Prime steel scrap prices are due to outperform their obsolete and shredded counterparts once again in April, while the overall trend consensus fell to 57% compared with 61% in March, suggesting confidence in the market’s direction has softened.

Make sense of the US steel scrap market and track the critical indicators impacting price movements in our April outlook.

What to read next
Trump’s steel tariffs aim to boost the US steel industry by taxing imported steel and encouraging domestic production. The goal is to make U.S. steel more competitive globally while addressing national security and trade concerns. However, the tariffs have caused international tension, reshaping trade ties and raising questions about costs for U.S. businesses relying on steel imports.
Here are the key takeaways from market participants on US ferrous scrap metal prices, market confidence, inventory and more from our January survey.
US President Donald Trump’s address to Congress on Tuesday March 4 contained key strategic policy objectives that will have a direct impact on global metals markets. Fastmarkets takes a high-level view of the key strategies below: “They tariff us…we will tariff them.” The Trump administration will introduce reciprocal tariffs on all countries that levy duties […]
Tariffs on steel and aluminum will raise US car prices, increase production costs, and squeeze profit margins. Smaller car companies may struggle to compete, while retaliatory actions could disrupt the global auto market, reshaping manufacturing and trade industry-wide.
Trump’s tariffs on Canadian and Mexican metals have introduced significant instability to the U.S. metals sector. The 25% tariffs, coupled with retaliatory measures from Canada and Mexico, have fuelled price volatility, supply chain disruptions, and operational uncertainty across multiple industries. These trade policies are reshaping global market dynamics as stakeholders brace for long-term impacts on steel, aluminium, copper, and other metal commodities.
Securing essential resources: Tackling supply chain challenges with strategic solutions and global alliances