According to preliminary census data from the US Department of Commerce, US monthly steel imports in February 2018 decreased 17.9 percent from February (census data) to total 2,143,228 mt. A year-on-year comparison shows a 13.2 percent decrease. In terms of value, US steel imports in February totaled $2.12 billion, compared to $2.45 billion in Janaury and $1.95 billion in February 2017.
According to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), the finished steel import market share was an estimated 24 percent in February.
Top sources for US steel imports in February include: Canada, with 453,083 mt; Korea, with 251,427 mt; Brazil, with 215,831 mt; Mexico, with 203,762 mt; and Russia, with 128,629 mt.
Major steel products imported in February include blooms, billets and slab at a combined 364,240 mt; OCTG, at 208,865 mt; HDG sheets and strip, at 190,623 mt; HRC, at 150,167 mt; CRC, at 133,043 mt; and line pipe, at 127,580 mt.