[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 2,177,000 net tons (NT) of steel in October 2019, including 1,479,000 net tons (NT) of finished steel (up 14.5% and down3.5%, respectively, vs. September final data). Through the first ten months of 2019, total and finished steel imports are 24,770,000 and 18,343,000 net tons (NT), down 15.9% and 17.0%, respectively, vs. the same period in 2018. Annualized total and finished steel imports in 2019 would be 29.7 and 22.0 million NT, down 11.9% and 14.3%, respectively, vs. 2018. Finished steel import market share was an estimated 17% in October and is estimated at 20% over the first ten months of 2019.

Key finished steel products with a significant import increase in October compared to September were wire rods (up 24%), plates in coils (up 13%), sheets and strip hot dipped galvanized (up 13%), mechanical tubing (up 13%) and heavy structural shapes (up 12%).