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. Wednesday, 
June 28, 2003
                                
CB-03-82     Press Copy 
FT-900A (03-03)                           

For information contact:
Haydn Mearkle    (301) 763-2246
Nick Orsini         (301) 763-2311                                
                                
                                 
     Preliminary: U.S. Imports for Consumption of Steel Products April 2003

     The U.S. Census Bureau, through the Department of Commerce, announced today that 
preliminary April steel imports were $0.8 billion (1.6 million metric tons).  This was a 
decrease of $0.1 billion (0.4 million metric tons) from the preliminary March totals of 
$0.9 billion (2.0 million metric tons).

     The March  to April change in steel imports, based on metric tonnage, reflected 
decreases primarily in wire rods and blooms, billets, and slabs.  Monthly changes in steel 
imports reflected a decrease primarily with Turkey.

     The year to date final statistics through March 2003 showed steel imports of 5.9 
million metric tons, a decrease of 1.6 million metric tons from the 7.5 million metric 
tons through March 2002.  The largest commodity decreases were in blooms, billets, and 
slabs; and reinforcing bars.  The largest country decreases were with Brazil, Russia, and 
Japan.  The largest country increase was with Mexico.


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 June 24, 2003           

SOURCE: Report FT900A (CB-03-82), U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade
        Division, Preliminary April 2003.  For more information, contact 
        Haydn R. Mearkle (301-763-2246) or Nick Orsini (301-763-2311), 
        Foreign Trade Division.