Steel imports in the USA decreased by 11% in 7 months

Based on preliminary indications, the American Iron and Steel Institute reported today that the US imported a total of 3,028,000 tonnes of steel in July 2019, including 1,843,000 tonnes of finished steel (up 48.3% and 6.6%. respectively, compared to Final data for June). In the first seven months of 2019, total steel imports were 18,666,000 tonnes, down 10.6% from the same period in 2018. The annual total volume and imports of finished steel in 2019 will be 32.0 and 23.2. million tons, which is 5.1% and 9.7%, respectively, compared to 2018. The market share of finished steel imports in July was approximately 19%, and in the first seven months of 2019 - 21%.

The main finished steel products with a significant increase in imports in July compared to June were cut-off sheets (up to 55%), pipes (up to 29%), hot-rolled bars (up to 24%), steel in coils (up to 23%), standard pipe (up to 21%), hot-rolled sheets (up to 19%), hot-dip galvanized sheets and strips (18%), wire rods (up to 16%), mechanical tubes (up to 16%), metal-coated sheets and strips (up to 11%) and heavy constructional forms (up to 10%).

In July, the largest volumes of finished steel imports from offshore were from South Korea (180,000 tons, which is 10% more than in June), Japan (87,000 tons, a decrease of 23%), Taiwan (83,000 tons, a decrease of 3 %), Brazil (NT 80,000 (up 423%) and Germany (NT 75,000, down 24%). In the first seven months of 2019, the largest offshore suppliers were South Korea (NT 1,629,000, down 16% on compared to the same period in 2018), Japan (810,000 tons, a decrease of 7%), Germany (692,000 tons, a decrease of 9%) Taiwan (606,000 tons, a decrease of 8%) and Vietnam (496,000 tons, decrease by 21%).