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, March 26,  2002                                
                                
CB-02-40     Press Copy 
FT-900A (02-03)                  

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

     The Bureau of the Census, through the Department of Commerce, announced 
today that preliminary February steel imports were $1.0 billion (2.8 million 
metric tons).  This was virtually the same value and an increase of 0.4 million 
metric tons from the preliminary January totals of $1.0 billion (2.3 million
metric tons).

     The January to February change in steel imports, based on metric tonnage, 
reflected increases primarily in blooms, billets and slabs; reinforcing bars; 
and hot rolled sheets.  Monthly changes in steel imports reflected increases 
primarily with Russia, Ukraine, and Australia.

     The year to date final statistics through January of 2002 showed steel 
imports of 2.4 million metric tons, an increase of 0.3 million metric tons 
through January 2001.  The largest commodity increase was in blooms, billets 
and slabs.  The largest country increases were with Brazil and Japan.

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 April 30, 2002                                   

SOURCE: Report FT900A (CB-02-40), U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade
        Division, Preliminary FEBRUARY 2002.  For more information, contact 
        Haydn R. Mearkle (301-457-2246) or Nick Orsini (301-457-2311), 
        Foreign Trade Division.