Based on final Census Bureau data, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported that the U.S. imported a total of 1,577,000 net tons (NT) of steel in December 2025, including 1,160,000 NT of finished steel (down 3.8 percent and up 6.9 percent, respectively, vs. November 2025). Full year 2025 total and finished steel imports were 25,241,000 and 18,665,000 net tons (NT), down 12.6 percent and 17.1 percent, respectively, vs. 2024. Finished steel import market share was an estimated 14 percent in December and is estimated at 18 percent for full year 2025.
Key steel products with a significant import increase in December compared to November are reinforcing bars (up 135 percent), cut lengths plates (up 68 percent), plates in coils (up 45 percent), hot rolled bars (up 39 percent) and heavy structural shapes (up 37 percent). Products with a significant increase in imports for the full year of 2025 vs. 2024 include tin plate (up 24 percent), line pipe (up 19 percent), wire rods (up 13 percent) and oil country goods (up 13 percent).
In December, the largest suppliers were Brazil (257,000 NT, up 4 percent vs. November), Canada (234,000 NT, down 9 percent), South Korea (167,000 NT, up 1 percent), Mexico (137,000 NT, down 17 percent) and Japan (109,000 NT, up 53 percent). For full year 2025 the largest suppliers were Canada (4,524,000 NT, down 31 percent vs 2024), Brazil (4,126,000 NT, down 8 percent), Mexico (2,823,000 NT, down 20 percent), South Korea (2,662,000 NT, down 5 percent) and Germany (1,128,000 NT, up 5 percent).
Published April 2026
