According to final census data from the US Department of Commerce, US imports of light-shaped bar (merchant bar) totaled 8,755 mt in April 2020, down 21.1 percent from March but up 40.9 percent from April 2019 levels. By value merchant bar imports totaled $6.2 million in April 2020, compared to $7.9 million in the previous month and $4.2 million in the same month last year.
The US imported the most merchant bar from Mexico in April, with 4,605 mt, compared to 6,112 mt in March and 4,044 mt in April 2019. Other top sources of imported merchant bar in April include Canada, with 3,469 mt.