Imports of finished steel products to Mexico totaled 1.23 million metric tons (mt) in April, up 36.1 percent year over year. It is the largest increase in the last seven months, and it is the fourteenth consecutive annual increase. Also, it is the second consecutive month that exceeds one million tons per month, according to data from the Mexican Chamber of the Iron and Steel Industry (Canacero) reviewed by SteelOrbis.
The increase in imports was driven by soaring increases in the import of hot rolled sheet (76.8 percent) and cold rolled sheet (72.8 percent) and by increases in steel bars (34.2 percent), galvanized sheet ( 29.5 percent) and in alloy steel flats (20.7 percent).
On the export side, the volume totaled 269,000 mt, 0.4 percent higher. With this increase, 19 consecutive months of annual contraction are broken.
Mexico's steel trade flow with the world totaled 1.5 million mt, 27.9 percent higher than April of last year. It is the highest volume in the last nine months.
In the accumulated four months, imports of steel products totaled 4.30 million mt, 17.9 percent higher compared to the January-April period of last year. Exports decreased 12.7 percent to 1.09 million mt.