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, February 26, 2002                                
                                
CB-02-27     Press Copy 
FT-900A (02-01)              

For information contact:
Haydn Mearkle    (301) 457-2246
Nick Orsini         (301) 457-2311                               
                                
                                
     Preliminary: U.S. Imports for Consumption of Steel Products January 2002

     The Bureau of the Census, through the Department of Commerce, announced 
today that preliminary January steel imports were $1.0 billion (2.3 million 
metric tons).  This was an increase of $0.1 billion (0.4 million metric tons) 
from the preliminary December 2001 totals of $0.8 billion (1.9 million metric
tons).

     The December to January change in steel imports, based on metric tonnage, 
reflected increases primarily in blooms, billets and slabs; reinforcing bars; 
and hot dipped galvanized sheets and strips.  Decreases occurred primarily in 
cold rolled sheets and wire rods. Monthly changes in steel imports reflected
increases primarily with Brazil, Canada, and Japan.  Decreases occurred primarily 
with Mexico and Argentina.

     The year to date final statistics through December of 2001 showed steel 
imports of 27.4 million metric tons, a decrease of 7.1 million metric tons from 
the 34.4 million metric tons through December 2000.  The largest commodity 
decreases were in hot rolled sheets; blooms, billets and slabs; heavy structural 
shapes; and plates in coils.  The largest commodity increases were in line pipe
greater than sixteen inches in diameter, oil country goods, and cold rolled sheets.  
The largest country decreases were with Ukraine, India, China, and Taiwan.  The 
largest country increases were with Turkey and Russia.

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 March 26, 2002                                   

SOURCE: Report FT900A (CB-02-27), U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade
        Division, Preliminary JANUARY 2001.  For more information, contact 
        Haydn R. Mearkle (301-457-2246) or Nick Orsini (301-457-2311), 
        Foreign Trade Division.