Steel import permit applications increases

Based on the Commerce Department’s most recent Steel Import Monitoring and Analysis (SIMA) data, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported that steel import permit applications for the month of July totaled 2,294,000 net tons (NT). This was a 10.1 percent increase from the 2,084,000 permit tons recorded in June and a 9.1 percent increase from the June final imports total of 2,103,000. Import permit tonnage for finished steel in July was 1,594,000, up 8.6 percent from the final imports total of 1,468,000 in June. For the first seven months of 2026 (including July SIMA permits and June final imports), total and finished steel imports were 13,585,000 NT and 9,766,000 NT, down 19.4 percent and 21.8 percent, respectively, from the same period in 2025. The estimated finished steel import market share in July was 18 percent and is 16 percent year-to-date (YTD).

Steel imports with large increases in July permits vs. June final imports include oil country goods (up 62 percent), wire rods (up 58 percent), standard pipe (up 51 percent), hot rolled bars (up 43 percent) and tin free steel (up 32 percent). Products with significant year-to-date (YTD) increases vs. the same period in 2025 include heavy structural shapes (up 63 percent), standard rails (up 36 percent), structural pipe and tubing (up 18 percent) and reinforcing bars (up 15 percent).

In July, the largest steel import permit applications were for South Korea (514,000 NT, up 22 percent from June final imports), Mexico (327,000 NT, up 71 percent), Canada (279,000 NT, down 5 percent), Brazil (180,000 NT, down 26 percent) and Vietnam (156,000 NT, up 4 percent). Through the first seven months of 2026, the largest suppliers were South Korea (2,508,000 NT, up 41 percent), Canada (1,850,000 NT, down 41 percent) and Brazil (1,686,000 NT, down 42 percent).

Published September 2026