According to final census data from the US Department of Commerce, US imports of light-shaped bar (merchant bar) totaled 10,439 mt in September 2020, up 22.9 percent from August and up 80.9 percent from September 2019 levels. By value, merchant bar imports totaled $6.2 million in September 2020, compared to $5.7 million in the previous month and $4.0 million in the same month last year.
The US imported the most merchant bar from Mexico in September, with 6,468 mt, compared to 4,256 mt in August and 2,897 mt in September 2019. Other top sources of imported merchant bar in September include Canada, with 3,601 mt.