US steel imports ticked higher in October, reversed course in November

The total amount of steel imported into the US rebounded to 2.40 million short tons (st) in October, according to recently released US Commerce Department data, Monthly imports have remained within a relatively narrow range since June, significantly lower than volumes seen earlier this year, but stronger than late-2023 levels.

October imports were 12% greater than September’s nine-month low of 2.14 million st. According to license data collected through Dec. 3, November licenses currently total 2.12 million st, down 11% month over month (m/m) and a potential 11-month low (Figure 1, left).

Brett Linton

Brett Linton is a digital operations analyst for Steel Market Update, where he began his career. Linton has been in the steel industry since 2010. He has held roles as a category manager and strategic insights director at Reibus before returning to SMU in 2024. He is a graduate of The University of North Georgia with a degree in Finance and Accounting. Brett can be reached at brett@steelmarketupdate.com or 724-314-0179.