United States Department of COMMERCE NEWS  
Washington, D.C. 20230             

ECONOMICS AND STATISTICS ADMINISTRATION
Bureau of the Census

This release contains sensitive economic data not to be released before 
10:00 a.m. Tuesday, July 31, 2001

CB-01-129    Press Copy
FT-900A (01-06)

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

   Preliminary: U.S. Imports for Consumption of Steel Products June 2001

     The Bureau of the Census, through the Department of Commerce, announced 
today that preliminary June steel imports were $0.9 billion (2.2 million 
metric tons).  This was virtually the same value and an increase of 0.2
million metric tons from the preliminary May totals of $0.9 billion 
(2.0 million metric tons).

     The May to June change in steel imports, based on metric tonnage, 
reflected increases primarily in wire rods and blooms, billets, and slabs.  
Monthly changes in steel imports reflected increases primarily with Russia 
and Turkey. 

     The year to date final statistics through May of 2001 showed steel 
imports of 10.8 million metric tons, a decrease of 4.6 million metric tons 
from the 15.4 million metric tons through May of 2000.  The largest commodity
decreases were in blooms, billets, and slabs; hot rolled sheets; and plates 
in coils. The largest country decreases were with Brazil, Taiwan, and Ukraine.

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 August 28, 2001                                   

SOURCE: Report FT900A (CB-01-129), U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade
        Division, Preliminary JUNE 2001.  For more information, contact 
        Haydn R. Mearkle (301-457-2246) or Nick Orsini (301-457-2311), 
        Foreign Trade Division.