The US reduced imports of rolled steel by 26.8% y/y in January–May

In January–May 2026, the US imported 6.7 million short tonnes of rolled steel, a year-on-year decrease of 26.8 per cent. This is according to data from the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI).

Total steel imports for the first five months of this year, including rolled steel and semi-finished products, amounted to 9.12 mln tonnes (-26.3% year-on-year).

In May, total steel imports into the US amounted to 2.1 million tonnes, an increase of 11.2% compared with the previous month, including 1.55 million tonnes of rolled steel (+11.2% month-on-month).

The largest suppliers of steel to the United States during the period were South Korea (399 thousand short tonnes, +37% month-on-month), Brazil (331 thousand tonnes, +54% month-on-month), Canada (281,000 tonnes, +5% compared with April), Mexico (185,000 tonnes, –1% month-on-month) and Japan (142,000 tonnes, +91% compared with April).

The market share of imported rolled steel in May is estimated at 17 per cent, and for the first five months of 2026 at 16 per cent.

It should be noted that, according to figures for 2025, the US reduced its imports of rolled steel by 17.1% year-on-year, to 18.66 million short tonnes. Total steel imports (rolled steel and semi-finished products) amounted to 25.24 million tonnes, down 12.6% year-on-year. The share of rolled steel imports last year stood at 18%.

As reported by GMK Center, in January–April this year, US steelworks increased shipments of steel products by 3.6% year-on-year – to 30.84 million short tonnes. In April alone, the figure stood at 7.66 million tonnes.