According to preliminary census data from the US Department of Commerce, US monthly steel imports in April 2019 increased 46.2 percent from March to total 2,997,735 mt. A year-on-year comparison shows a 11.9 percent decrease. In terms of value, US steel imports in April totaled $2.53 billion, compared to $1.98 billion in March and $3.12 billion in April 2018.
Top sources for US steel imports in April include: Brazil, with 1,076,193 mt; Canada, with 336,736 mt; Mexico, with 250,478 mt; Korea, with 247,636 mt; and Japan, with 144,341 mt.
Major steel products imported in April include blooms, billets and slab at a combined 1,160,733 mt; OCTG, at 226,922 mt; line pipe, at 149,266 mt; HDG sheets and strip, at 215,577 mt; HRC, at 145,076 mt; and wire rod, at 134,663 mt.
According to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), the US steel import market share in April 2019 was estimated at 21 percent, compared to 19 percent in March, and 21 percent year-to-date.