Steel imports recovered further in May and June

Monthly steel imports rose back above 2 million short tons (st) in May and June, further recovering from the historic lows seen late last year, according to recently released US Commerce Department data. Final May figures show a 15% month-over-month (m/m) gain, while June license data shows a 6% decline.

May imports rose to a 10-month high of 2.19 million st. This is up 628,000 st, or 40%, compared to the near five-year low set last September. June license data collected through July 13 currently totals 2.06 million st (Figure 1, left).

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.