Joseph Bonney, Senior Editor | Jun 14, 2012 12:18PM EDT
U.S. steel exports in April rose 13.6 percent year-over-year but posted their third consecutive month-to-month decline, government statistics show.
April steel exports totaled 1.167 million tons. Through the first four months of 2012, shipments totaled 4.844 million tons, up 16.2 percent.
Four-month totals were up to all regions except the European Union. David Phelps, president of the American Institute for International Steel, said the EU’s troubles could hurt exports in the coming months.
“There are clearly concerns about worldwide economic conditions at this time — even in the fast-growing developing economies — and with our largest export market by far, NAFTA, slowing, there are some doubts about exports in the near term,” Phelps said. “As with many watching economic conditions worldwide, we are concerned about the EU’s economic difficulties spreading.”
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