This release contains sensitive economic data not to be released 
before 10:00 a.m. Thursday, June 22, 2000

 CB-00-99 Press Copy 
 FT-900A (00-05)

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

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

     The Bureau of the Census, through the Department of Commerce, announced 
today that preliminary May steel imports were $1.4 billion (3.0 million 
metric tons).  This was virtually the same value and a decrease of 0.3 
million metric tons from the preliminary April total of 3.3 million metric 
tons.

     The April to May change in steel imports, based on metric tonnage, 
reflected decreases primarily in blooms, billets, and slabs and hot rolled 
sheets.  Monthly changes in steel imports reflected decreases primarily 
with Brazil, India, and Ukraine.

     The year to date final statistics through April of 2000 showed steel 
imports of 12.3 million metric tons, an increase of 2.9 million metric tons 
from the 9.4 million metric tons through April of 1999.  The largest 
commodity increases were in blooms, billets, and slabs and hot rolled 
sheets.  The largest country increases were with Brazil, Ukraine, and Taiwan.


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 July 27, 2000                                     

Source:  U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade Division FT-900A Preliminary: U.S. 
Imports for Consumption of Steel Products May 2000.