"Exports of American made steel in January 2010 over January 2009 increased to NAFTA and Asia -- due to increases to India and Vietnam -- while other major markets registered declines for the month. We are encouraged that as we start 2010, North American demand appears to be strengthening and we wait to see how trends to other international markets, particularly in the developing world, develop in months to come," concluded Phelps.
Total Steel exports in January 2010 were 951 thousand tons compared to 929 thousand tons in December 2009, a +2.4 percent increase, and a +39.7 percent increase compared to January 2009.