Joseph Bonney, Senior Editor | Mar 12, 2012 3:50PM EDT
U.S. steel exports rose 19.1 percent year-over-year to 1.262 million tons in January, as shipments to Canada and Mexico offset declines to other regions.
Neighboring countries in the North American Free Trade Agreement accounted for more than three-fourths of exports. Shipments to Canada totaled 662,553 tons, up 16.9 percent year-over-year. Exports to Mexico rose 63.8 percent to 366,319 tons.
“Steel exports continued their solid gains in January based on strong exports to our NAFTA partners. Exports to other markets — the EU, non-NAFTA Western Hemisphere, Africa and Asia — all registered declines,” said David Phelps, president of the American Institute for International Steel.
Exports in January increased 5.1 percent from December, Commerce Department statistics show.
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