Jan 26(Reuters) -

Steel Dynamics ( STLD ) posted a rise in fourth-quarter

profit on Monday, driven by falling scrap metal costs and stable

pricing in ‌its fabrication segment.

Despite U.S. President Donald Trump's ​sweeping tariffs

bolstering U.S. steel spot prices, ‍commercial contracts have

lagged as ⁠the industry ⁠adjusted to an older pricing index,

resulting in lower ‌selling prices during ​the quarter.

But the steelmaker benefited from lower prices for ⁠scrap

steel, a key ‍raw ​material and essential feedstock for Steel

Dynamics' ( STLD ) exclusively electric-arc furnace steel-producing

mills.

The Fort Wayne, ‍Indiana-based company reported

fourth-quarter profit of $1.82 per share compared with $1.36 a

year earlier.

"We are seeing an improved flat-rolled steel market

environment, supported by domestic ​trade ‍actions, manufacturing

onshoring," CEO Mark Millett said.

"Long product steel demand remains ​very strong, especially

for structural steel and railroad rail," he added.

The company posted revenue of $4.41 billion in the fourth

quarter, missing analysts' average estimate of $4.58 billion,

according to ​data compiled by LSEG.

(Reporting by Aatreyee Dasgupta and Megavarshini G.

Somasundaram in Bengaluru; Editing by ‍Sahal Muhammed and Editing

by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty)