According to final census data from the US Department of Commerce, US imports of light-shaped bars (merchant bar) totaled 8,493 mt in August 2020, down 9.6 percent from July and down 9.7 percent from August 2019 levels. By value, merchant bar imports totaled $5.7 million in August 2020, compared to $6.7 million in the previous month and $6.5 million in the same month last year.
The US imported the most merchant bar from Mexico in August, with 4,255 mt, compared to 5,795 mt in July and 5,197 mt in August 2019. Other top sources of imported merchant bar in August include Canada, with 3,570 mt.