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, 
July 29, 2003
                                
CB-03-115     Press Copy 
FT-900A (03-06)                           

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

     The U.S. Census Bureau, through the Department of Commerce, announced today 
that preliminary June steel imports were $0.8 billion (1.6 million metric tons).  
This was a decrease of $0.1 billion and a decrease of 0.1 million metric tons from 
the preliminary May totals of $0.9 billion (1.7 million metric tons).

     The May to June change in steel imports, based on metric tonnage, reflected 
decreases primarily in blooms, billets, and slabs; hot rolled sheets; and line pipe 
greater than sixteen inches in diameter.  Monthly changes in steel imports reflected 
decreases primarily with Australia, South Africa, and Brazil.

     The year to date final statistics through May 2003 showed steel imports of 9.3 
million metric tons, a decrease of 1.7 million metric tons from the 11.0 million 
metric tons through May 2002.  The largest commodity decreases were in blooms, 
billets, and slabs; and reinforcing bars.  The largest commodity increase was in hot 
rolled sheets.  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 August 26, 2003                     

SOURCE: Report FT900A (CB-03-101), U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade
        Division, Preliminary May 2003.  For more information, contact 
        Haydn R. Mearkle (301-763-2246) or Nick Orsini (301-763-2311), 
        Foreign Trade Division.