According to final census data from the US Department of Commerce, US imports of light-shaped bar (merchant bar) totaled 14,158 mt in February 2023, down 2.6 percent from January and down 3.0 percent from February 2022 levels. By value, merchant bar imports totaled $14.7 million in February 2023, compared to $16.3 million in January and $17.6 million in February 2022.
The US imported the most merchant bar from Mexico in February, with 7,461 mt, compared to 4,832 mt in January and 8,067 mt in February 2022. Other top sources of imported merchant bar in February include Canada, with 6,489 mt.