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    Long Products

    April 17, 2026

    Apparent steel supply slipped in February

    Written by Brett Linton

    The volume of finished steel that entered the US market declined 3% from January to February, according to SMU’s analysis of recently released Department of Commerce and American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) data. February represents the third-lowest monthly supply rate recorded in the past two years and is just 5% above the near-five-year low set last November.

    Dubbed apparent steel supply, this measure is calculated by combining domestic mill shipments and finished US steel imports, then subtracting total US exports.

    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.

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