According to preliminary data released by the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), total steel imports in February were recorded at 1,663,000 net tons, while imports of finished steel products stood at 1,171,000 net tons. Accordingly, while total imports increased by 0.8% compared to the previous month, finished steel product imports decreased by 6.2% over the same period.
When considering the first two months of the year, total and finished steel product imports recorded declines of 37.6% and 38.5%, respectively, compared to the same period last year. Over the most recent 12-month period spanning March 2025 to February 2026, total steel imports fell by 20.3%, while finished steel product imports declined by 24.7%.
While the share of finished steel imports in the U.S. market was estimated at 15% in February, it was noted that this figure remained at the same level for the first two months of the year.
When analyzed by product group, imports of pipe and tube increased by 51% in February compared to January. Imports of hot-rolled bars rose by 30%, while imports of blooms, billets, and slabs increased by 23%, and imports of oil-country-derived products rose by 21%.
In terms of country distribution, imports from South Korea—the U.S.’s largest steel supplier—increased by 7% in February, reaching 305,000 tons. Imports from Brazil rose by 39% to 247,000 tons, while imports from Canada increased by 3% to 225,000 tons. Imports from Mexico fell by 25% to 175,000 tons, while imports from Japan rose by 236% to 141,000 tons.
Over the past 12-month period, steel imports from Canada fell by 41%, from Brazil by 23%, from South Korea by 7%, from Mexico by 30%, and from Germany by 6%.
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