Report Period: April 8 – 15, 2026

Coverage: United States | Canada | Mexico

📌 3 Core Insights

📌 US Section 232 full‑value tariffs take effect – 50%/25%/15%/10% four‑annex system – 📈 Duties now apply to the full customs value of steel, aluminium and copper articles. Primary metals face 50%, derivatives 25%, qualifying UK‑origin products 15% and US‑origin content 10%. Annex II products removed from coverage. [0†L5-L6][1†L9-L11]
📌 US HRC prices firm – CRU index at $1,037/st (+1.29% WoW), capacity utilisation hits 79.8% – 📈 Nucor raised base HRC prices by another $5/st to $1,045/st. Raw steel output reached a four‑year high with capacity utilisation at 79.8% – highest since September 2024. [2†L6-L8][9†L15-L18]
📌 Canada HRC weakens to C$55/t as new Section 232 rules undercut USMCA protections – 📉 The shift to full‑value 232 tariffs has dismayed Canadian manufacturers, with Fastmarkets‘ Canadian HRC index softening to C$55/t ($795.80/st). [3†L4-L7][4†L30-L35]

💡 What You Get in the Full Report

For Procurement Managers (Buyers)

CRU US Midwest HRC index ($1,037/st) and Fastmarkets Canada HRC index (C$55/t) – with weekly trends and mill price changes
Section 232 four‑annex duty calculator (50%/25%/15%/10%) – how to classify your products correctly
AD/CVD case tracker (tin mill, structural steel, rebar) – potential retroactive duty risks
Port congestion data (Houston 2.9 days, LA 4.1 days, Montreal rail dwell 5.1 days) – lead time adjustments
Import viability analysis – CFR US estimates vs domestic prices after full‑value duties

For Export Sales Managers (Sellers)

Section 232 annex breakdown guidance – how to quote CFR US with transparent duty lines
Canadian TRQ tracking (non‑FTA quotas cut to 20% of 2024 levels, 50% surtax on excess)
Mexican sunset review on carbon steel pipe and cold‑rolled AD/CVD investigations
USMCA review negotiations – Mexico pushing for steel tariff elimination, US advocating stricter rules of origin
US raw steel capacity utilisation at 79.8% – strong domestic demand, but import opportunities remain for niche products

📥 Ready to make smarter steel decisions in North America?

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📧 amy@amyinsights.com
🌐 amyinsights.com

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