AISI reports increased steel production, record imports

According to data released this week from the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), domestic raw steel production rose to 2.062 million net tons for the week ended April 22, 2006. This is an increase from the previous week, in which 2.044 million nt were produced, and an increase from the same week the previous year, in which 2.043 million nt were produced. The areas that produced the most steel in the week ended April 22, 2006 were the Southern region, which produced 614'000 net tons, and the Indiana/Chicago region, which made 557'000 net tons. AISI also reported this week that the US imported a total of 3'888'000 net tons of steel in March 2006, and 2'916'000 nt of finished steel, the highest monthly import tonnage in both of these categories since November 1998.