The US scrap export of stainless steel and alloy steel together dropped by 74pc to 61,268mt in May from 235,896mt in the same month last year, according to US Census Bureau trade data. Stainless steel scrap and alloy steel imports fell by 43pc to 32,286mt during the month from 56,829mt in May 2019.
Taiwan was the biggest importer of US stainless steel scrap at 4,623mt, although shipments fell by 69pc from 14,902mt imported in May 2019. India imported 3,396mt of US stainless steel scrap in May, down by almost 73pc from 12,579mt during the same month last year.
Exports to Canada also declined by 17pc in May to 1,957mt from 2,359mt in May 2019 while exports to Pakistan fell significantly by 78pc to 381mt from 1,742mt during the same period. Stainless steel exports to Japan, however, rose by 29pc to 401mt in May from 287mt in the same month last year.
The highest stainless steel import into the US was from Canada at 7,314mt in May, although they dropped by 22pc from 9,300mt imported during the same month last year. Stainless steel imports from Mexico decreased by 38pc to 4,341mt from 6,967mt during the same period.