U.S. August steel imports decrease 12 percent
The US Commerce Department reports that August 2005 steel imports decreased 12 percent from July 2005. The decrease was due in large part to primarily to decreases in blooms, billets, and slabs; reinforcing bars; and wire rods. Finished steel imports decreased 4 percent compared to July 2005, while imports of semi-finished steel decreased 40 percent. Year on year imports of steel mill products decreased 37 percent; finished steel imports, decreased 36 percent; and semi-finished decreased 44 percent. The following is a comparison of select steel product imports for August 2005:
Product Change
Month on Month Year on Year
Hot-rolled -10% -59%
Cold-rolled 11% -48%
Wire rod -31% -48%
Rebar -51% -64%
Hot-rolled bar -5% -17%
Standard pipe 40% -25%
Semi-finished -40% -44%