United States Department of COMMERCE NEWS  
Washington, D.C. 20230  
           
ECONOMICS AND STATISTICS ADMINISTRATION
U.S. Census Bureau
                                
                                
This release contains sensitive economic data not to be released before 
10:00 a.m. Tuesday, September 24, 2002                                
                                
CB-02-110     Press Copy 
FT-900A (02-08)          

For information contact:
Haydn Mearkle    (301) 763-2246
Nick Orsini         (301) 763-2311               
                                
                                 
     Preliminary: U.S. Imports for Consumption of Steel Products August 2002

     The U.S. Census Bureau, through the Department 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 a decrease of 0.3 million 
metric tons from the preliminary July totals of $1.0 billion (2.7 million 
metric tons).

     The July to August change in steel imports, based on metric tonnage, 
reflected decreases primarily in hot rolled sheets and blooms, billets and slabs.  
Monthly changes in steel imports reflected decreases primarily with Brazil and 
Korea.  An increase occurred primarily with Mexico.

     The year to date final statistics through July 2002 showed steel imports 
of 16.3 million metric tons, an increase of 1.0 million metric tons from
the 15.4 million metric tons through July of 2001. The largest commodity increase 
was in blooms, billets and slabs.  The largest country increases were with Brazil 
and Canada.


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 29, 2002

Notice

Effective March 20, new duties were imposed on steel products under the 
safeguard measures provision of the Trade Act of 1974.  This release includes 
new exhibits (Exhibits 5 and 6) that provide information on imports of goods 
by Section 201 remedy category.  Users should note that:

1.   The categories are aggregations of steel products defined by the 
Harmonized Tariff Schedule and include some transactions that are not subject 
to the safeguard measures.

2. The product category aggregations in Exhibit 5 show imports from all countries, 
not just those subject to the safeguard measures.

3. The countries in Exhibit 6 show steel imports from countries primarily 
excluded from the safeguard measures, however, these measures may apply to some 
transactions from some countries in this exhibit.

SOURCE: Report FT900A (CB-02-110), U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade
        Division, Preliminary AUGUST 2002.  For more information, contact 
        Haydn R. Mearkle (301-763-2246) or Nick Orsini (301-763-2311), 
        Foreign Trade Division.