American Institute for International Steel, Inc. (AIIS) reported steel imports declined 17% from August and year to date imports were down 25.8% compared to 2006 based on preliminary reporting. 'Import arrivals in September were down again on weak demand and higher prices in other international markets, said David Phelps, president. 'Current bookings remain weak for most products, but some analysts believe that the US market will improve significantly in early 2008', added Phelps.

Total Steel imports in September 2007 were 2.2 million tons compared to 2.65 million tons in August 2007, a 17.0% decrease, and a 43.7% decrease compared to September 2006. According to year-to-date figures, imports decreased 25.8% compared to 2006 or from 35.0 million tons in 2006 to 26.0 million tons in 2007. The data show that imported semi-finished products decreased by 59.5% in September 2007 as compared to September 2006. For the year-to-date period, semi-finished imports decreased from 7.36 million tons in 2006 to 5.02 million tons in 2007, a 31.8% decrease, based on preliminary reporting.

Steel Import Analysis