According to delayed final census data from the US Department of Commerce, US monthly steel imports in November 2018 decreased 27.3 percent from October to total 2,160,402 mt. A year-on-year comparison shows a 13.7 percent decrease. In terms of value, US steel imports in November totaled $2.12 billion, compared to $2.68 billion in October and $2.32 billion in November 2017.
Top sources for US steel imports in November include: Canada, with 382,860 mt; Mexico, with 274,881 mt; Russia, with 244,593 mt; Korea, with 176,761 mt; and Germany, with 113,409 mt.
Major steel products imported in November include blooms, billets and slab at a combined 414,637 mt; HDG sheets and strip, at 209,581 mt; HRC, at 174,590 mt; line pipe, at 163,928 mt; OCTG, at 153,028 mt; and CRC, at 132,285 mt.
According to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), the US steel import market share in November was estimated at 21 percent, compared to 20 percent in October. The year-to-date import market share was estimated at 23 percent in November, compared to 21 percent in October.