AISI reports drop in December steel shipments

According to a news release from the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), steel shipments in December 2006 were down 11.8 percent from the same month of the previous year. During December 2006, US steel mills shipped 7.6 million net tons (nt) of steel, whereas in December 2005, US mills shipped 8.5 million nt, representing a 11.8 percent decrease. December 2006 shipments were also down five percent compared to the eight million nt shipped in November 2006.