According to preliminary census data from the US Department of Commerce, US imports of hot rolled bar totaled 82,877 mt in October 2017, up 21.6 percent from September but down 1.4 percent from October 2016 levels. By value, hot rolled bar imports totaled $73.7 million in October 2017, compared to $61.2 million in the previous month and $67.9 million in the same month last year.
The US imported the most hot rolled bar from Canada in October, with 28,591 mt, compared to 26,501 mt in September and 36,417 mt in October 2016. Other top sources of imported hot rolled bar in October include Japan, with 15,202 mt; Germany, with 13,550 mt; France, with 8,300 mt; Brazil, with 2,851 mt; and United Kingdom, with 2,305 mt.