USA: Ferrous Scrap Exports Up by 19% M-o-M in Jan'20

The United States, one of the major steel producers in the world, witnessed an increase in its ferrous scrap exports in Jan'20. Exported scrap volume increased by 19% M-o-M to 1.52 MnT in Jan'20 from 1.28 MnT exported a month back in Dec'19, according to data maintained with SteelMint. On a yearly basis, exports increased by 54% Y-o-Y from 0.99 MnT of scrap exported during the Jan'19.

Malaysia remains the largest importer of ferrous scrap with 24% of share in the total scrap exported by the USA in Jan'20, increasing sharply by 825% to 0.37 MnT in Jan'20 as against 0.04 MnT of scrap imported in Dec'19. Notably, this is the highest ever quantity of scrap imported by Malaysia from the USA.

Another major importer was Turkey, which imported 0.34 MnT in Jan'20 down by 24% against 0.45 MnT of scrap imported in Dec'19.

The country witnessed an increase in exports of coal, finish long & flat steel while exports of iron ore have observed fall in Jan'20, as per recent data released by the customs department.

Iron ore: The United States iron ore exports for the first month of the CY'20 witnessed at 0.49 MnT for Jan'20. The exports depicted drop of 28% on monthly basis as against 0.68 MnT a month ago in Dec'19. On a yearly basis, exports fell 13% as compared to 0.56 MnT in Jan'19. Canada stood the sole importer for the month at 0.49 MnT, down 18% as against 0.60 MnT in Dec'19.

Coal: USA coal exports have increased by 6.50% M-o-M to 9.85 MnT in Jan'20, as compared to 9.25 MnT in December last year, as per the latest customs data Provided by customs. However, on a year-on-year basis, the country's coal exports fell by 18.1% than the shipment volume of 12.02 MnT in Jan'19.

India, South Korea, Brazil, Japan and the Netherlands were the top five coal receiving countries from the United States in the month of January 2020.Indian coal imports from the US attained a 5-months high total of 1.77 MnT during Jan'20, as it increased by 65.3% M-o-M from 0.58 MnT in Dec'19. US coal intake by South Korea rose by a whopping 188.7% M-o-M to 1.04 MnT in Jan'20, as compared to 0.36 MnT in the month ago.

Finish Flat: US finish-flat exports ascended by 15% M-o-M in Jan'20 to 0.45 MnT compared with 0.39 MnT in Dec'19. However, on a yearly premise, the nation's export was consistent with that in Jan'19. Low buying appetite in the domestic steel market led to an increase in the exports in Jan'20. Where in Jan'20, the exports to Mexico increased by 5% M-o-M to 0.21 MnT as against 0.2 MnT, the exports to Canada surged by 33% to 0.2 MnT over 0.15 MnT in Dec'19.

Finish Long: Finish long exports from the USA witnessed an increase by 38% to 0.08 MnT in Jan'20 as compared to 0.06 MnT exported in Dec'19. Canada imported 0.05 MnT of finish long in Dec'20 as compared to 0.04 MnT in Dec'19, increasing by 25% M-o-M in Jan'20.

Quantity in MT
Source: SteelMint Stats & Customs Data