According to preliminary census data from the US Department of Commerce, US monthly steel imports in October 2017 increased 1.1 percent from September (census data) to total 2,829,495 mt. A year-on-year comparison shows a 14.9 percent increase. In terms of value, US steel imports in October totaled $2.53 billion, compared to $2.45 billion in September and $1.92 billion in October 2016.
According to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), the finished steel import market share was an estimated 27 percent in October and is estimated at 28 percent YTD.
Top sources for US steel imports in October include: Canada, with 482,867 mt; Korea, with 338,036 mt; Brazil, with 324,591 mt; Mexico, with 260,659 mt; and Russia, with 247,037 mt.
Major steel products imported in October include blooms, billets and slab at a combined 550,443 mt; OCTG, at 287,865 mt; HDG sheets and strip, at 238,933 mt; line pipe, at 226,940 mt; CRC, at 200,687 mt; and HRC, at 161,671 mt.