According to final census data from the US Department of Commerce, US imports of light-shaped bars (merchant bar) totaled 9,409 mt in August 2019, down 3.2 percent from July but up 95.2 percent from August 2018 levels. By value, merchant bar imports totaled $6.5 million in August 2019, compared to $6.7 million in the previous month and $3.6 million in the same month last year.
The US imported the most merchant bar from Mexico in August, with 5,197 mt, compared to 5,037 mt in July and 2,894 mt in August 2018. Other top sources of imported merchant bar in August include Canada, with 3,664 mt.