According to final census data from the US Department of Commerce, US imports of light-shaped bar (merchant bar) totaled 12,359 mt in December 2023, up 44.9 percent from November and up 17.7 percent from December 2022 levels. By value, merchant bar imports totaled $13.2 million in December 2023, compared to $8.4 million in November and $11.1 million in December 2022.
The US imported the most merchant bar from Mexico in December, with 5,675 mt, compared to 4,206 mt in November and 4,706 mt in December 2022. Other top sources of imported merchant bar in December include Canada, with 5,405 mt.