According to final census data from the US Department of Commerce, US imports of light shaped bars (merchant bar) totaled 8,969 mt in December 2019, up 24.3 percent from November and up 35.2 percent from December 2018 levels. By value, merchant bar imports totaled $6.4 million in December 2019, compared to $5.4 million in the previous month and $4.5 million in the same month last year.
The US imported the most merchant bar from Mexico in December, with 4,557 mt, compared to 3,797 mt in November and 3,971 mt in December 2018. Other top sources of imported merchant bar in December include Canada, with 3,706 mt.