U.S. Steel Imports Down 2.5% Through First Five Months of 2018
The U.S. imported 2.5% less steel through the first five months of 2018 compared with the same period in 2017, according to a recent report from the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI).
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Citing data from the Department of Commerce’s Steel Import Monitoring and Analysis (SIMA), finished steel imports through the first five months of the year hit 15,379,000 net tons (NT), down 2.5% from the first five months of 2017.
According to the AISI report, the finished steel import market share for May settled in at an estimated 25%, just under the 26% share for the year to date.
By products, in the year to date several have posted significant import increases, including: hot rolled sheets (up 36%), plates in coils (up 36%), mechanical tubing (up 22%), line pipe (up 22%) and oil country goods (up 19%).
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By country, the largest finished steel import permit applications in May came from:
- Germany (138,000 NT, up 15% from April preliminary)
- Japan (123,000 NT, up 25%)
- South Korea (113,000 NT, down 76%)
- Italy (80,000 NT, up 34%)
- Taiwan (76,000 NT, down 34%)
Through the first five months, however, South Korea led the way with 1,531,000 NT (down 1%), followed by Japan (615,000 NT, down 7%) and Germany (547,000 NT, up 13%).
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