According to preliminary census data from the US Department of Commerce, US monthly steel imports in May 2019 decreased 38.2 percent from April to total 1,870,916 mt. A year-on-year comparison shows a 29.6 percent decrease. In terms of value, US steel imports in May totaled $1.88 billion, compared to $2.55 billion in April and $2.71 billion in May 2018.
Top sources for US steel imports in May include: Canada, with 331,686 mt; Korea, with 263,031 mt; Mexico, with 234,189 mt; Japan, with 112,435 mt; and Brazil, with 96,583 mt.
Major steel products imported in May include OCTG, at 196,650 mt; HDG sheets and strip, at 195,204 mt; blooms, billets and slab at a combined 179,446 mt; rebar, at 132,004 mt; line pipe, at 127,114 mt; and HRC, at 125,676 mt.
According to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), the US steel import market share in May 2019 was estimated at 19 percent, compared to 21 percent in April, and 21 percent year-to-date.