This release contains sensitive economic 
data not to be released before 10:00 a.m. Thursday, August 24, 2000

CB-00-135                                           Press Copy
FT-900A (00-07)

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


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

    The Bureau of the Census, through the Department of Commerce,
announced today that preliminary July steel imports were $1.4 billion
(3.2 million metric tons).  This was an increase of $0.1 billion (0.2
million metric tons) from the preliminary June totals of $1.3 billion
(3.0 million metric tons).

    The June to July change in steel imports, based on metric tonnage,
reflected increases primarily in blooms, billets, and slabs and heavy
structural shapes.  Decreases occurred primarily in hot rolled sheets
and plates in coils.  Monthly changes in steel imports reflected an
increase primarily with China and a decrease primarily with India.

    The year to date final statistics through June of 2000 showed steel
imports of 18.4 million metric tons, an increase of 3.2 million metric
tons from the 15.3 million metric tons through June of 1999.  The largest
commodity increases were in hot rolled sheets and blooms, billets, and slabs.
The largest country increases were with Ukraine, India, 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 September 21, 2000

Source:  FT-900A, Preliminary:  U.S. Imports for Consumption of Steel
         Products June 2000, CB-00-135
         For information contact:  Haydn Mearkle (301) 457-2246
                                   Nick Orsini   (301) 457-2311
         August 24, 2000