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, 
October 28, 2003
                                
CB-03-167     Press Copy 
FT-900A (03-09)                           

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

     The U.S. Census Bureau, through the Department of Commerce, announced 
today that preliminary September steel imports were $0.8 billion (1.7 million 
metric tons).  This was an increase of $0.1 billion (0.2 million metric tons) 
from the preliminary August totals of $0.7 billion (1.5 million metric tons).

     The August to September change in steel imports, based on metric tonnage, 
reflected an increase primarily in blooms, billets, and slabs; and wire rods.  
Monthly changes in steel imports reflected increases primarily with Mexico, 
Turkey, Russia, and Canada.   

     The year to date final statistics through August  2003 showed steel 
imports of 14.3 million metric tons, a decrease of 4.6 million metric tons 
from the 18.8 million metric tons through August 2002.  The largest commodity 
decreases were in blooms, billets, and slabs; and wire rods.  The largest 
country decreases were with Brazil, Russia,  Japan, 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 November 25, 2003                     

SOURCE: Report FT900A (CB-03-167), U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade
        Division, Preliminary July 2003.  For more information, contact 
        Haydn R. Mearkle (301-763-2246) or Nick Orsini (301-763-2311), 
        Foreign Trade Division.