According to preliminary census data from the US Department of Commerce, US imports of slabs totaled 163,485 mt in December this year, down 57.7 percent month on month and down 36.1 percent from December last year. By value, the slab imports totaled $97.2 million in December this year, compared to $237.7 million in November and $201.8 million in December 2023.
The US imported the most slab from Mexico in December with 96,746 mt, compared to 96,027 mt in November and 96,042 mt in December 2023. Other top sources of imported slabs in December included Brazil with 45,565 mt and Canada with 21,092 mt.