U.S. Slaps Duties on Cheap Steel Imports

The Commerce Department levied duties on steelmakers from Japan, Germany and five other nations, saying they are dumping stainless steel wire rod in the U.S. by selling it at up to 34% below cost. The duties are meant to enable the U.S. steel industry to overcome damage caused by trading practices in Italy, South Korea, Spain, Sweden and Taiwan, as well as Japan and Germany, that the U.S. considers unfair. The U.S. International Trade Commission found there was “reasonable indication” the U.S. was harmed by steel imports from these countries, in a preliminary ruling last September. A final determination has not yet been made. Stainless steel wire rod is used in dental instruments and devices, including orthodontic braces, as well as in construction.