According to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), steel import permit applications registered 1,591,000 net tons (NT) in October, down by 3.7% compared to the previous month. Finished steel permits countered the trend, increasing by 4.5% month on month to 1,237,000 NT.

In the first ten months of this year, total and finished steel imports were substantially lower than the corresponding period last year, with drops of 11.3% and 14.5%, respectively.

In October, applications showed large growth for products like reinforcing bars (up by 69%) and wire rods (up by 66%). Meanwhile, the biggest year-to-date increases were recorded in stainless pipe and tube (up by 43%) and tin plate (up by 32%). Canada, Brazil, and Mexico accounted for the majority of the import permit tonnage in October, totaling 316,000 NT, 229,000 NT, and 146,000 NT, respectively.