According to preliminary census data from the US Department of Commerce, US imports of slab totaled 198,335 mt in May 2022, down 19.2 percent from April and down 57.1 percent from May 2021 levels. By value, slab imports totaled $156.3 million in May 2022, compared to $174.7 million in April and $325.7 million in May 2021.
The US imported the most slab from Mexico in May, with 102,867 mt, compared to 40,948 mt in April and 54,761 mt in May 2021. Other top sources of imported slab in May include Brazil, with 65,180 mt; India, with 16,632 mt; and Canada, with 13,648 mt.