Based on preliminary Census Bureau data, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported that the U.S. imported a total of 1,769,000 net tons (NT) of steel in March 2026, including 1,306,000 NT of finished steel (up 5.4 percent and 10.2 percent, respectively, vs. February 2026). Total and finished steel imports are down 34.7 percent and 35.0 percent, respectively, year-to-date vs. 2025. Over the 12 month period April 2025 to March 2026, total and finished steel imports are down 22.7 percent and 26.3 percent, respectively, vs. the prior 12 month period. Finished steel import market share was an estimated 16 percent in March and is estimated at 15 percent over the first three months of 2026.
Key steel products with a significant import increase in March compared to February are plates in coils (up 165 percent), cut lengths plates (up 143 percent), hot rolled sheets (up 70 percent), heavy structural shapes (up 48 percent) and wire drawn (up 40 percent).
In March, the largest suppliers were South Korea (292,000 NT, down 4 percent vs. February), Brazil (291,000 NT, up 18 percent), Canada (285,000 NT, up 27 percent), Vietnam (177,000 NT, up 160 percent) and Mexico (141,000 NT, down 20 percent). Over the 12-month period April 2025 to March 2026, the largest suppliers were Canada (3,628,000 NT, down 44 percent vs, compared to the previous 12-months), Brazil (3,381,000 NT, down 26 percent), South Korea (2,771,000 NT, down 3 percent), Mexico (2,235,000 NT, down 39 percent) and Japan (1,034,000 NT, down 13 percent).
Published June 2026
