Steel exports rose in March, but remain weak vs past years

The volume of steel exported from the US increased marginally from February to March, according to the latest US Department of Commerce figures. Although up month over month (m/m), export levels have generally trended downward over the past year.

Steel exports rose 4% m/m in March to 701,000 short tons, recovering from one of the lower rates seen over the past two years (Figure 1). March trade was 9% below the 2024 monthly average of 770,000 st, 12% lower than the same month last year, and 21% lower than March 2023 volumes.

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.