[Ferro-Alloys.com] Based on preliminary Census Bureau data, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported that the U.S. imported a total of 1,541,000 net tons (NT) of steel in November 2019, including 1,311,000 net tons (NT) of finished steel (down 29.9% and 12.5%, respectively, vs. October final data). Through the first eleven months of 2019, total and finished steel imports are 26,332,000 and 19,675,000 net tons (NT), down 17.3% and 18.1%, respectively, vs. the same period in 2018. Annualized total and finished steel imports in 2019 would be 28.7 and 21.5 million NT, down 14.8% and 16.5%, respectively, vs. 2018. Finished steel import market share was an estimated 15% in November and is estimated at 19% over the first eleven months of 2019.

 

Key finished steel products with a significant import increase in November compared to October are cut

lengths plates (up 46%), hot rolled bars (up 24%), standard pipe (up 13%) and line pipe (up 12%).

 

In November the largest volumes of finished steel imports from offshore were from South Korea (188,000 NT,

up 11% from October final), Japan (85,000 NT, up 14%), The Netherlands (70,000 NT, up 131%), Germany (55,000 NT, down 30%) and Taiwan (31,000 NT, down 21%). For the first eleven months of 2019, the largest offshore suppliers were South Korea (2,408,000 NT, down 10% vs. the same period in 2018), Japan (1,175,000 NT, down 9%), Germany (965,000 NT, down 21%), Taiwan (799,000 NT, down 21%) and Vietnam (650,000 NT, down 36%). (AISI)