Apparent steel supply slips to 7-month low in September

The total amount of finished steel to enter the US market in September fell to its lowest level in seven months, according to our analysis of recent Department of Commerce and the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) data. Referred to as ‘apparent steel supply,’ we calculate this volume by combining domestic steel mill shipments with finished US steel imports and subtracting total US steel exports.

Total apparent supply for September was 8.03 million short tons (st), down 3% from the previous month and the lowest monthly rate seen since February (8.02 million st). September’s supply was also 4% below the monthly average of 2024 (8.39 million st). Recall that earlier this year supply had peaked at a 21-month high of 8.90 million st in May. This time last year apparent supply was 7.99 million st, marking a 10-month low at the time).

Brett Linton

Brett Linton is a digital operations 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.