Based on preliminary Census Bureau data, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported that the U.S. imported a total of 1,874,000 net tons (NT) of steel in April 2026, including 1,378,000 NT of finished steel (up 5.9 percent and 5.5 percent, respectively, vs. March 2026). Total and finished steel imports are down 29.5 percent and 30.5 percent, respectively, year-to-date vs. 2025. Over the 12-month period May 2025 to April 2026, total and finished steel imports are down 21.5 percent and 25.8 percent, respectively, vs. the prior 12 month period. Finished steel import market share was an estimated 16 percent in April and is estimated at 15 percent over the first four months of 2026.
Key steel products with a significant import increase in April compared to March are tin plate (up 126 percent), sheet and strip all other metallic coatings (up 56 percent), reinforcing bars (up 46 percent), cold rolled sheets (up 39 percent) and hot rolled bars (up 30 percent).
In April, the largest suppliers were South Korea (291,000 NT, unchanged vs. March), Canada (268,000 NT, down 6 percent), Brazil (215,000 NT, down 26 percent), Mexico (187,000 NT, up 33 percent) and Vietnam (123,000 NT, down 31 percent). Over the 12-month period May 2025 to April 2026, the largest suppliers were Canada (3,463,000 NT, down 45 percent compared to the previous 12-months), Brazil (3,297,000 NT, down 27 percent), South Korea (2,878,000 NT, up 2 percent), Mexico (2,266,000 NT, down 33 percent) and Vietnam (1,071,000 NT, down 11 percent).
Published July 2026
