According to preliminary census data from the US Department of Commerce, US monthly steel imports in September 2018 decreased 25.9 percent from August (census data) to total 2,040,579 mt. A year-on-year comparison shows a 27.1 percent decrease. In terms of value, US steel imports in September totaled $2.04 billion, compared to $2.59 billion in August and $2.45 billion in September 2017.
Top sources for US steel imports in September include: Canada, with 380,465 mt; Mexico, with 256,957 mt; Korea, with 171,837 mt; Russia, with 145,996 mt; and Turkey, with 120,669 mt.
Major steel products imported in September include blooms, billets and slab at a combined 350,802 mt; HRC, at 225,104 mt; HDG sheets and strip, at 222,192 mt; OCTG, at 142,629 mt; CRC, at 134,152 mt; and line pipe, at 127,411 mt.
According to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), the US steel import market share in September is estimated at 20 percent, compared to 21 percent in August. The year-to-date import market share is estimated at 24 percent in September, compared to 24 percent in August.