According to preliminary census data from the US Department of Commerce, US imports of hot rolled bar totaled 77,263 mt in June 2018, down 18.7 percent from May and down 45.9 percent from June 2017 levels. By value, hot rolled bar imports totaled $73.8 million in June 2018, compared to $91.7 million in the previous month and $112.3 million in the same month last year.
The US imported the most hot rolled bar from Canada in June, with 28,865 mt, compared to 46,250 mt in May and 43,858 mt in June 2017. Other top sources of imported hot rolled bar in June include Japan, with 14,747 mt; France, with 7,325 mt; Germany, with 6,850 mt; and China, with 6,807 mt.