This release contains sensitive economic data not to be released 
before 10:00 a.m. Friday, February 25, 2000

CB-00-37 Press Copy 
FT-900A (00-01)

For information contact:
Haydn Mearkle    (301) 457-2246
Nick Orsini      (301) 457-2311 

   Preliminary: U.S. Imports for Consumption of Steel Products January 2000

   The Bureau of the Census, through the Department of Commerce, announced 
today that preliminary January steel imports were $1.1 billion (2.7 million 
metric tons).  This was virtually the same as the preliminary December totals 
of $1.1 billion (2.7 million metric tons).

     The December to January change in steel imports, based on metric tonnage, 
reflected decreases primarily in hot rolled sheets and cold rolled sheets.  
Increases occurred primarily in blooms, billets and slabs.  Monthly changes 
in steel imports reflected decreases primarily with Ukraine, India, and Italy.  
Increases occurred primarily with Brazil and Taiwan.

     The year-to-date final statistics through December of 1999 showed steel 
imports of 32.4 million metric tons, a decrease of 5.3 million metric tons 
from the 37.7 million metric tons through December of 1998.  The largest 
commodity decreases were in hot rolled sheets, plates in coils, and heavy 
structural shapes. The largest country decreases were with Russia, Japan, 
and Korea.                                                         

Notes:

The data in this report are preliminary and subject to revisions.
Analysis of recent months for steel product imports indicates the 
value of preliminary data should equal about 96 percent of the final 
value reported in the regular monthly trade statistics report.  
Preliminary data reported for individual steel categories and at the 
individual country of origin level have been less consistently predictive 
of the final data reported in the regular monthly trade statistics. For 
further details visit the Foreign Trade Division web site at: 
www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/.  On the web site you can access product 
by country and country by product tables.

The next release is March 23, 2000                                     

SOURCE: Report FT900A (CB-00-37), Bureau of the Census, Foreign Trade
        Division, January 2000 preliminary.  For more information, contact 
        Haydn R. Mearkle (301-457-2246) or Nick Orsini (301-457-2311), 
        Foreign Trade Division.