Worldsteel Association (WSA) reports that global crude steel production totaled 131.791 million tonnes (Mt) at a capacity utilization rate, (CUR) of 73.3% in February. Production was down by 13.07 Mt month on month but the CUR was up 0.5 percentage points over January.

For all of 2017, Beam final imports to the U.S. were down 4.3% year on year (y/y), totaling 534,488 tons. For the month of January, Beam imports totaled 20,887 tons down 49% from last January’s total of 40,987 tons.

For all of 2018, Rebar final imports to the U.S. were down 25.8% year on year (y/y), totaling 1,566,308 tons. January rebar imports were 95,805 tons, 56.8% lower than January 2017 volume of 221,968 tons.

Merchant final imports to the U.S. were up 1.2% in 2017, year on year (y/y), totaling 541,630 tons for the twelve months ending December 2017. January merchant imports came in at 37,527 tons, 28.1% less than the 52,203 ton volume in January 2017.

SBQ final imports to the U.S. were up 27.4% in 2017, year on year (y/y), totaling 570,523 tons for the twelve months ending December 2017. January 2018 SBQ imports came in at tons, 39,926 or 5.0% lower than the 42,025 ton January 2017 volume.

Total Merchant licenses, (representing 10 HTS codes), year to-date, (YTD) through March 13^th totaled 141,412 tons down 40% from last year’s 236,236 tons.