USA. Preliminary steel imports increase 3% in April

USA. Preliminary steel imports increase 3% in April. Based on preliminary Census Bureau data, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported that the U.S. imported a total of 2,535,000 net tons (NT) of steel in April, including 1,915,000 NT of finished steel (up 3% and 2%, respectively, from March final data). Annualized total and finished steel imports in 2011 would be 26.9 and 20.8 million NT, respectively, up 12% and 10% vs. 2010. Finished steel import market share in April was an estimated 22% and is 21% year-to date. Key finished steel products with significant import increases in April 2011 compared to March include reinforcing bar (up 52%), line pipe (up 51%), hot dipped galvanized sheet and strip (up 38%), plates in coil (up 25%) and hot rolled sheets (up 14%). Major products with significant year-to-date import increases vs. the same period last year include oil country goods (up 58%) and reinforcing bar (up 54%). In April, the largest volumes of finished steel imports from offshore were from South Korea (309,000 NT, up 28%), India (126,000 NT, up 137%), Turkey (118,000 NT up 138%), Japan (106,000 NT, down 6%) and China (96,000 NT, up 42%). For the first 4 months of 2011, the largest offshore suppliers were South Korea (951,000 NT, up 71%), Japan (478,000 NT, up 12%) and Germany (336,000 NT, up 16%). Below are charts on estimated steel import market share in recent months and on finished steel imports from offshore by country. To view the full press release, click here..