UNITED STATES May 02 2016 8:33 PM

NEW YORK (Scrap Register): Based on preliminary Census Bureau data, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported that the U.S. imported a total of 2 ,569,000 net tons (NT) of steel in March 2016, including 2,097,000 net tons ( NT) of finished steel (up 12.9 % and down 0.1 %, respectively, vs. February final data).

Year- to-date (YTD) through three months of 201 6 total and finished steel imports are 7,493,000 and 6,424, 000 net tons (NT), down 36% and 34% respectively, vs. the same period in 2015. 

Annualized total and finished steel imports in 2016 would be 30.0 and 25.7 million NT, down 23% and 18 % respectively vs. 2015. Finished steel import market share was an estimated 24% in March and is estimated at 25% YTD.

Key finished steel product s with a significant import increase in March compared to February are reinforcing bars (up 35%), sheet and strip all other metallic coatings (up 24%), cut lengths plates (up 21%) and wire drawn (up 11%).