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, September 25, 2001                               
                                
CB-01-155      Press Copy 
FT-900A (01-08)                                  

For information contact:
Haydn Mearkle    (301) 457-2246
Nick Orsini          (301) 457-2311 
                                                                                    
     Preliminary: U.S. Imports for Consumption of Steel Products August 2001

     The Bureau of the Census, through theDepartment of Commerce, announced 
today that preliminary August steel imports were$1.0 billion (2.4 million 
metric tons).  This was virtually the same value and an increase of 0.1 
million metric tons from the preliminary July totals of $1.0 billion 
(2.2 million metric tons).

     The July to August change in steel imports, based on metric tonnage, 
reflected increases primarily in hot rolled sheets; blooms, billets, and 
slabs; and line pipe greater than 16 inches in diameter.  Monthly changes 
in steel imports reflected increases primarily with Japan and Brazil.     

     The year to date final statistics through July of 2001 showed steel 
imports of 15.4 million metric tons, a decrease of 6.2 million metric
tons from the 21.6 million metric tons through July of 2000.  The largest 
commodity decreases were in hot rolled sheets; blooms, billets, and slabs; 
heavy structural shapes; and plates in coils.  The largest country decreases
were with Brazil, Ukraine, Taiwan, and India.

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 October 30, 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.