Latin American steel exports to the US reach 617Kt in October
By Business News Americas staff reporter - Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Latin America exported 617,123t steel to the US in October - up 35.3% from 456,031t in the same month last year, according to figures from the US Census Bureau.
The bulk of the growth was from Brazil, which saw a 56.4% rise to 368,977t, representing 59.8% of the region's total, and up from 235,937t in October 2012.
Mexico's steel exports to the US also rose from 201,532t to 217,410t, a 7.9% increase.
By value, the region's steel exports to the US in October were worth US$438.1mn, an 18.2% increase from US$370.7mn in the year-ago period.
The value of Brazil's exports was up 24.1% at US$193.9mn (Oct 2012 US$156.3mn), while in Mexico the figure was up 7.6% at US$194.1mn, from US$180.3mn.
Argentina's exports were up from 12,095t to 26,469t, worth US$45.5mn, while Colombia's exports dropped from 2,230t to 347t, worth US$458,000.
Chile exported 14t in the month, compared to zero in the year ago period, while exports from other South and Central American countries fell to 3,906t, worth US$4mn, from 4,237t.
Brazil was the world's second biggest steel exporter to the US by volume in October, behind Canada, with Mexico fifth behind Korea and Russia.
Global exports to the US totaled 2.8Mt, worth US$2.6bn, compared to 2.5Mt worth US$2.3bn in September, reflecting increases in blooms, billets and slabs, and oil country goods, and decreases in hot rolled sheet and reinforcing bars.