Latin American steel exports to the US decreased on an annual basis in May because of mill suspensions in the region catalysed by the pandemic.
Mexico’s steel product exports to the US increased by 13.1pc to 265,515mt in May from 234,680mt during the same month in 2019, according to figures from the United States Census Bureau.
On the other hand, Brazil’s steel shipments to the US fell by 58.6pc to 40,450mt in May from 97,884mt a year earlier, while Argentina’s steel exports to the US plunged by 98.3pc to 76mt from 4,662mt during the comparable periods.
South and Central American steel product exports fell by 60.1pc to 46,505mt in May from 116,637mt during the same month the prior year.
Alloy products
Mexican exports of alloy steel products dropped by 40pc to 40,729mt in May from 67,912mt the year before. Brazil’s alloy steel exports to the US also declined substantially by 94.8pc to 2,107mt in May from 40,563mt a year earlier. Argentina’s exports of alloy steel plunged by 98.3pc to 76mt from 4,590mt during the period..
Alloy steel product exports from South and Central American countries fell by 95.1pc to 2,234mt in May from to 46,273mt during the same month in 2019.
Shipments of carbon non-alloy steel products to the US from Mexico rose by 37.6pc last month to 222,760mt from 161,805mt shipped the same month last year.
Brazilian carbon non-alloy steel exports to the US were down in May by 32.8pc to 37,662mt from 56,067mt the year prior, wile Argentina’s carbon non-alloy steel exports plunged by 100pc in May this year to zero from 73mt exported in May last year, said the Census Bureau data.
Exports of carbon non-alloy steel exports from South and Central American countries fell by 36.9pc to 43,588mt in May from to 69,098mt.