According to preliminary census data from the US Department of Commerce, US imports of hot rolled bar totaled 69,425 mt in August 2018, down 15.1 percent from July and down 3.3 percent from August 2017 levels. By value, hot rolled bar imports totaled $67.4 million in August 2018, compared to $77.7 million in the previous month and $62.6 million in the same month last year.
The US imported the most hot rolled bar from Canada in August, with 28,041 mt, compared to 35,601 mt in July and 22,394 mt in August 2017. Other top sources of imported hot rolled bar in August include Japan, with 10,802 mt; France, with 8,520 mt; Germany, with 6,850 mt; Spain, with 4,511 mt; and Mexico, with 3,956 mt.