According to preliminary data released by the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. imported 2.237 million short tons of steel in September, a 10.9% decrease from the final value in August and the lowest monthly level since 2022. Imports of most steel products fell. U.S. semi-finished steel imports fell 11.0% mom to 379,000 st in September, while finished steel imports fell 10.8% mom to 1.858 million st. Among the finished steel products imported in September, the month-on-month increase in the import volume of line pipe, standard pipe, steel bar and other varieties failed to offset the decline in the import volume of large section steel, medium and heavy plate coil, wire rod, cold-rolled sheet, and hot-rolled sheet. The market share of U.S. imports of finished steel in September was estimated at 22%.
U.S. steel imports from January to September rose 4.4% year-on-year to 24.215 million short tons. Among them, the import volume of finished steel products was 19.668 million short tons, a significant increase of 22.5% year-on-year, and except for the year-on-year decrease in the import volume of hot-rolled sheet, the import volume of other varieties achieved year-on-year growth, including standard pipes, line pipes, wire rods, and special oil pipes. The year-on-year increase in the import volume of etc. is close to or more than 50%. The market share of U.S. imports of finished steel from January to September is estimated at 24%.
Canada, Mexico and South Korea are the main sources of steel imports to the United States from January to September, with imports of 5.250 million short tons, 4.215 million short tons and 2.243 million short tons, a year-on-year decrease of 0.8%, an increase of 27.9% and 8.1% respectively. In addition, in the first nine months, the United States imported 2.172 million short tons of steel from Brazil, down 42.6% year-on-year; imported 934,000 short tons from Japan, up 19.9% year-on-year; imported 814,000 short tons from Vietnam, up 67.9% year-on-year; Russia imported 465,000 short tons, down 60.7% year-on-year; imported 492,000 short tons from China, up 58.2% year-on-year.