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AISI: Preliminary U.S. Steel Imports Rose 14% in August
09/25/2013 - Based on preliminary Census Bureau data, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported that the U.S. imported a total of 2,870,000 tons of steel in August, including 2,199,000 tons of finished steel (up 13.9% and 9.8%, respectively, vs. July final data). Year-to-date (YTD) total and finished steel imports are 21,123,000 and 16,569,000 tons, respectively, down 9% and 7% vs. 2012.
Annualized total and finished steel imports in 2013 would be 31.7 and 24.9 million tons, down 5% and 4% respectively vs. 2012. Finished steel import market share was an estimated 24% in August and is estimated at 23% YTD.
Key finished steel products with a significant import increase in August 2013 compared to July are reinforcing bars (up 117%), oil country goods (up 62%), sheets and strip galvanized hot dipped (up 50%), cold rolled sheets (up 27%), sheets and strip all other metallic coatings (up 21%), standard pipe (up 15%) and plates in coils (up 13%). Major products with significant YTD import increases vs. the same period last year include reinforcing bars (up 13%).
In August, the largest volumes of finished steel imports from offshore were mostly from Asia and Europe. They were from South Korea (355,000 tons, up 17% vs. July final), Japan (182,000 tons, up 23%), Argentina (111,000 tons, up 937%), China (109,000 tons, down 38%) and Turkey (93,000 tons, up 59%). For eight months of 2013, the largest offshore suppliers were South Korea (2,416,000 tons, down 3%), Japan (1,288,000 tons, down 5%), China (1,184,000 tons, up 9%), Turkey (891,000 tons, down 17%) and Germany (717,000 tons, down 13%).
Key finished steel products with a significant import increase in August 2013 compared to July are reinforcing bars (up 117%), oil country goods (up 62%), sheets and strip galvanized hot dipped (up 50%), cold rolled sheets (up 27%), sheets and strip all other metallic coatings (up 21%), standard pipe (up 15%) and plates in coils (up 13%). Major products with significant YTD import increases vs. the same period last year include reinforcing bars (up 13%).
In August, the largest volumes of finished steel imports from offshore were mostly from Asia and Europe. They were from South Korea (355,000 tons, up 17% vs. July final), Japan (182,000 tons, up 23%), Argentina (111,000 tons, up 937%), China (109,000 tons, down 38%) and Turkey (93,000 tons, up 59%). For eight months of 2013, the largest offshore suppliers were South Korea (2,416,000 tons, down 3%), Japan (1,288,000 tons, down 5%), China (1,184,000 tons, up 9%), Turkey (891,000 tons, down 17%) and Germany (717,000 tons, down 13%).
