According to export data from the US Department of Commerce, monthly steel exports in December 2018 decreased 15.7 percent from November to total 470,919 mt. A year-on-year comparison shows a 30.9 percent decrease. In terms of value, US steel exports in December totaled $716.0 million, compared to $824.9 million in November and $930.7 million in December 2017.
Steel exports to Canada in December decreased 25.8 percent from the preceding month to 178,361 mt, and decreased 43.2 percent from December 2017. Exports to Mexico decreased by 11.3 percent month-on-month to 233,924 mt, which is down 8.2 percent from the same month a year ago.
Other top destinations for US steel exports in December include: China, with 6,798 mt; India, with 4,968 mt; Brazil, with 3,006 mt; Dominican Republic, with 2,636 mt; and United Kingdom, with 2,593 mt.
Major steel products exported in December include HDG, at 77,035 mt; cut-length plates, at 60,989 mt; hot rolled sheets, at 51,317 mt; cold rolled sheets, at 41,094 mt; and hot rolled bars, at 23,459 mt.