According to preliminary census data from the US Department of Commerce, US monthly steel imports in October 2019 increased 14.6 percent from September to total 1,975,363 mt. A year-on-year comparison shows a 33.6 percent decrease. In terms of value, US steel imports in October totaled $1.76 billion, compared to $1.65 billion in September and $2.68 billion in October 2018.
Top sources for US steel imports in October include: Canada, with 529,309 mt; Brazil, with 403,598 mt; Mexico, with 355,574 mt; Korea, with 153,996 mt; and Germany, with 71,442 mt.
Major steel products imported in October include blooms, billets and slab, at 624,652 mt; hot dipped galvanized sheets and strip, at 201,132 mt; HRC, at 145,079 mt; OCTG, at 107,631 mt; CRC, at 97,708 mt; and plates in coil, at 81,755 mt.
According to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), the US steel import market share in October 2019 was estimated at 17 percent, compared to 18 percent in September, and 20 percent year-to-date.