US steel imports reach 15-month high in August, rise further in September

Steel imports into the US crept higher in August and continued climbing in September, according to the Department of Commerce’s latest import license data.

August imports rose 3.4% from July to 2,346,901 short tons (st), a 15-month high. August imports recovered 50.4% from the near-five-year low of 1,560,512 st recorded in September 2025. September license data collected through Oct. 5 shows another 6.2% month-on-month (m/m) increase to 2,492,332 st (Figure 1, left).

Laura Miller

Laura Miller is a reporter and editor for Steel Market Update. She has held various editorial positions with steel industry publications, associations, and mills since 2007. She joined the SMU team in 2022. She is a member of the Association of Women in the Metal Industries and a past-president of the AWMI Pittsburgh Chapter. She holds a BA in Latin American Studies from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.

Laura Miller

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