US ferrous scrap exports improve in May

United States – America’s ferrous scrap exports jumped from 824 413 tonnes in April to 1.149 million tonnes in May, according to latest figures from the US Census Bureau and US International Trade Commission.

However, overseas shipments were still 15% lower across the opening five months of this year at 4.262 million tonnes when compared to the 5.008 million tonnes dispatched abroad in January-May 2015.

Substantial year-to-date increases in shipments to India (+38% to 572 164 tonnes), Mexico (+14% to 417 324 tonnes) and Pakistan (+74% to 173 861 tonnes) failed to offset sharp falls elsewhere.

This includes a 14% drop-off in orders from leading buyer Turkey from 1.571 million tonnes in the first five months of 2015 to 1.351 million tonnes in this year’s corresponding period. US shipments to Taiwan and South Korea fell by, respectively, 41% to 455 825 tonnes and 19% to 341 614 tonnes.