US steel imports lowest since Feb 2021

US steel imports fell to their lowest levels since February 2021, driven down by lower semi-finished and hot-rolled coil (HRC) import volumes.

Total imports of steel products for consumption were at 2.03mn metric tonnes (t) in September, down by 25pc compared to the prior year, according to preliminary data from the US Department of Commerce.

Import volumes of blooms, billets and slabs dropped by 51pc to 344,000t, while HRC imports fell by 40pc to 151,000t.

Hot dipped galvanized (HDG) coil imports declined by 22pc to 166,000t.

Imports from Canada and Mexico fell by 13pc and 23pc, respectively. Volumes from Brazil, a major slab producer, dropped by 56pc to 171,000t, while German imports fell by more than half to 70,000t.

By Rye Druzin