AISI Releases May SIMA Imports Data

Finished Import Market Share Estimated at 17 Percent in May

Washington, D.C. – Based on the Commerce Department’s most recent Steel Import Monitoring and Analysis (SIMA) data, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported today that steel import permit applications for the month of May totaled 1,996,000 net tons (NT)*. This was a 0.7% increase from the 1,983,000 permit tons recorded in April and a 6.5% increase from the April preliminary imports total of 1,874,000. Import permit tonnage for finished steel in May was 1,495,000, up 8.5% from the preliminary imports total of 1,378,000 in April. For the first five months of 2026 (including May SIMA permits and April preliminary imports), total and finished steel imports were 8,968,000 NT and 6,613,000 NT, down 27.5% and 27.7%, respectively, from the same period in 2025. The estimated finished steel import market share in May was 17% and is 16% year-to-date (YTD).

Steel imports with large increases in May permits vs. April preliminary imports include hot rolled sheet (up 112%), tin free steel (up 92%), plates in coils (up 40%), wire rods (up 36%) and oil country goods (up 25%). Products with significant year-to-date (YTD) increases vs. the same period in 2025 include standard rails (up 69%), heavy structural shapes (up 53%), reinforcing bars (up 19%) and electrical sheets and strip (up 12%).

In May, the largest steel import permit applications were for South Korea (385,000 NT, up 32% from April preliminary imports), Canada (256,000 NT, down 5%), Brazil (237,000 NT, up 10%), Vietnam (145,000 NT, up 18%) and Japan (124,000 NT, up 67%). Through the first five months of 2026, the largest suppliers were South Korea (1,558,000 NT, up 23%), Canada (1,252,000 NT, down 49%) and Brazil (1,,167,000 NT, down 46%).

*Note that import permits data are counts of tonnages requested in applications for licenses to import steel products and are not actual import volumes. For a number of reasons, permit tonnages may understate or overstate actual import volumes for the month, preliminary estimates of which will be available later this month.

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Contact: Lisa Harrison

202.452.7115 / lharrison@steel.org

AISI serves as the voice of the American steel industry in the public policy arena and advances the case for steel in the marketplace as the preferred material of choice. AISI’s membership is comprised of integrated and electric arc furnace (EAF) steelmakers, steel pipe and tube manufacturers and steel processors and fabricators, reflecting the production and distribution of both carbon and stainless steels. These steels are critical to America’s national and economic security, including roads and bridges, buildings, the electrical grid, cars and trucks and all clean energy technologies. AISI also represents associate members who are suppliers to or customers of the steel industry. For more news about steel and its applications, view AISI’s website at www.steel.org. Follow AISI on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter (@AISISteel) or Instagram.