AIIS: Steel Imports Drop in November

The American Institute for International Steel reports that steel imports dropped sharply from October to November, falling below their year-ago level. The United States imported 2.76 million net tons of steel in November, 11.4 percent less than the preceding month and 1.6 percent less than the previous November.

Imports from the three biggest suppliers of steel – the European Union, Canada and Brazil – all grew month-to-month, however, by 18.3 percent, 2.9 percent and almost 40 percent, respectively. Compared to November 2016, these marked increases of nearly 40 percent, 10.7 percent and 32.9 percent, respectively. Imports from Mexico fell 8.4 percent from October and 12.1 percent from a year earlier to 263,000 net tons, while imports from South Korea declined by 42.5 percent from a month earlier and 21.4 percent from the year prior to 214,000 net tons.