Steel shipments to the US rose 5.1% y/y in February

Shipments of steel products from U.S. steel mills rose by 5.1% year-over-year in February 2026, reaching 7.4 million short tons, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI).

Compared to January, this figure fell by 2.5%.

Shipments in January-February totaled 14.98 million short tons, which is 3.5% more than in the same period of 2025.

Regarding the product mix, shipments of hot-rolled sheet and strip increased by 9% year-over-year in the first two months of the year, while corrosion-resistant sheet and strip rose by 10% year-over-year, and cold-rolled sheet and strip declined by 8% year-over-year.

As a reminder, in 2025, shipments of steel products from U.S. steel mills rose by 4.9% compared to 2024—to 90.95 million short tons. Last year, the figure exceeded the 2024 level (86.70 million short tons) by nearly 4.25 million short tons, indicating a gradual recovery in domestic demand and increased steel consumption in key economic sectors.

As reported by GMK Center, the U.S. imported 2.42 million short tons of rolled steel in January–February 2026, a 38.5% decrease compared to the same period in 2025. Total steel imports, including rolled products and semi-finished products, amounted to 3.31 million tons, according to AISI, a decrease of 37.6% year-over-year.