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, August 28, 2001                                
                                
CB-01-141      Press Copy 
FT-900A (01-07)           
      
For information contact:
Haydn Mearkle    (301) 457-2246
Nick Orsini      (301) 457-2311 
                                
     Preliminary: U.S. Imports for Consumption of Steel Products July 2001

     The Bureau of the Census, through the Department of Commerce, announced 
today that preliminary July steel imports were $1.0 billion (2.2 million 
metric tons).  This was virtually the same as the preliminary June totals
of $0.9 billion (2.2 million metric tons).

     The June to July change in steel imports,based on metric tonnage, 
reflected a decrease primarily in hot rolled sheets, and an increase primarily 
in blooms, billets, and slabs.  Monthly changes in steel imports reflected a
decrease primarily with Turkey, and increases primarily with Mexico and Brazil.

     The year to date final statistics through June of 2001 showed steel 
imports of 13.1 million metric tons, a decrease of 5.4 million metric
tons from the 18.4 million metric tons through June of 2000.  The largest 
commodity decreases were in hot rolled sheets; blooms, billets, and slabs; 
and plates in coils.  The largest country decreases 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 September 25, 2001                                     

SOURCE: Report FT900A (CB-01-141), U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade
        Division, Preliminary JULY 2001.  For more information, contact 
        Haydn R. Mearkle (301-457-2246) or Nick Orsini (301-457-2311), 
        Foreign Trade Division.