Steel Products Prices North America

Steel Imports Dip in May After Big April

Written by Brett Linton

June 9, 2019

U.S. steel imports appear to have declined in May from the big jump in April, based on a preliminary total of May license data from the Commerce Department. Semi-finished imports dropped sharply, from 1.3 million tons in April to 697,000 tons in May as domestic steelmakers worked down their supplies of foreign slabs.

Imports totaling 2.6 million tons in May—including 1.9 million tons of finished steel—declined by 22 percent from April and were slightly below the 2.7 million ton average for the past year.

Imports in every product category, except for Galvalume, saw double-digit declines from April to May. Leading the way were hot rolled and plate imports, which decreased by more than 25 percent, based on May license data.

 

Brett Linton

Brett Linton is a senior analyst for Steel Market Update, where he began his career. Linton has been in the steel industry since 2010. He has held roles as a category manager and strategic insights director at Reibus before returning to SMU in 2024. He is a graduate of The University of North Georgia with a degree in Finance and Accounting. Brett can be reached at brett@steelmarketupdate.com or 724-314-0179.

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