US steel imports climbed to 2.26 million metric tons (mt) in May, marking a 19.6% increase from April but a 12.9% drop compared to May 2024, according to preliminary census data from the US Department of Commerce. The value of imports rose to $2.39 billion from $2.19 billion in April, though it remained significantly below the $3.13 billion recorded in the same month last year.
Key steel suppliers in April included Canada (367,617 mt), Brazil (363,553 mt), South Korea (283,538 mt), Mexico (271,325 mt), Germany (97,558 mt), and Vietnam (88,454 mt). The data highlights a robust month-on-month uptick across all major product categories. Semi-finished steel rose to 627,603 mt, flat products reached 735,940 mt, long products totaled 340,318 mt, and pipe and tube imports hit 460,754 mt. Except for pipe and tube, year-on-year volumes were down across categories.
According to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), imports maintained a 20% share of the US steel market for May, unchanged from April. This stability underscores ongoing demand for foreign steel amid production constraints and market volatility.
