According to final census data from the US Department of Commerce, US imports of light-shaped bar (merchant bar) totaled 16,306 mt in December 2021, down 4.1 percent from November but up 48.8 percent from December 2020 levels. By value, merchant bar imports totaled $18.9 million in December 2021, compared to $19.4 million in November and $7.1 million in December 2020.
The US imported the most merchant bar from Mexico in December, with 11,156 mt, compared to 10,369 mt in November and 6,004 mt in December 2020. Other top sources of imported merchant bar in December include Canada, with 4,825 mt.