The
prices of reinforcing steel for highway and other concrete construction
projects will likely head up in the new year, following the U. S. International
Trade Commission’s November 3 ruling that imports from Japan, Taiwan and Turkey
are being dumped in the U. S. by these foreign steel producers. According to
the ruling, the $854.1 million in foreign rebar imports represent almost 20% of
U. S. reinforcing steel consumption.
Expect
countervailing import duties on foreign rebar to be imposed early next year,
leading to increasing prices on both foreign and domestic reinforcing steel
products in February or March 2017.
