U.S. Steel Imports Rebound in April; South Korea Leads Supply
Steel News | 2026-05-27 11:03:14 | By Paul Ploumis
The finished steel import market share was estimated at 16% in April and stood at 15% for the first four months of 2026.
SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): According to latest data released by the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), U.S. steel imports rebounded in the month of April this year. The total imports jumped 5.9% month-on-month to 1.874 million net tons (NT). Finished steel imports also increased by 5.5% from the previous month to 1.378 million NT, reflecting stronger inflows across several key product categories.
However, overall import volumes remained significantly lower compared to last year. Year-to-date total steel imports declined 29.5%, while finished steel imports dropped 30.5% compared with the same period in 2025.
Over the 12-month period from May 2025 through April 2026, total steel imports were down 21.5%, while finished steel imports fell 25.8% year-on-year.
The finished steel import market share was estimated at 16% in April and stood at 15% for the first four months of 2026.
Among major product categories, tin plate imports recorded the sharpest monthly increase, surging 126% in April compared to March. Other notable gainers included sheet and strip with metallic coatings(up 56%), reinforcing bars (up 46%), cold rolled sheets (up 39%), and hot rolled bars (30%).
South Korea remained the largest steel supplier to the U.S. in April with 291,000 NT, followed by Canada, Brazil, Mexico, and Vietnam.
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