Based on preliminary Census Bureau data, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported that the U.S. imported a total of 3,135,000 net tons (NT) of steel in January 2020, including 1,633,000 net tons (NT) of finished steel (down 9.9% and 33.4%, respectively, vs. January 2019). Total and finished steel imports are up 97.7% and 20.4%, respectively, vs. the prior month, December 2019. Finished steel import market share was an estimated 17% in January 2020.

 

Key finished steel products with a significant import increase in January compared to December are reinforcing bars (up 134%), sheet and strip all other metallic coatings (up 126%), heavy structural shapes (up 98%), wire rods (up 66%), sheets and strip galvanized hot dipped (up 56%), mechanical tubing (up 43%), wire drawn (up 33%) and standard pipe (up 13%). （AISI）