According to preliminary census data from the US Department of Commerce, US monthly steel imports in May 2020 decreased 35.4 percent from April to total 1,625,363 mt. A year-on-year comparison shows a 13.6 percent decrease. In terms of value, US steel imports in May totaled $1.39 billion, compared to $1.83 billion in April and $1.88 billion in May 2019.
Top sources for US steel imports in May include: Canada, with 266,540 mt; Mexico, with 265,515 mt; Korea, with 208,131 mt; Japan, with 93,935 mt; and Australia, with 81,409 mt.
Major steel products imported in May include blooms, billets and slab, at 269,350 mt; OCTG, at 142,068 mt; hot dipped galvanized sheets and strip, at 124,111 mt; rebar, at 114,537 mt; HRC, at 109,844 mt; and CRC, at 111,136 mt.
According to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), the US steel import market share in May 2020 was estimated at 23 percent, compared to 21 percent in April, and 18 percent year-to-date.