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, 
December 23, 2003
                                
CB-03-196     Press Copy 
FT-900A (03-11)                           

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

     The U.S. Census Bureau, through the Department of Commerce, announced today that preliminary 
December steel imports were $0.8 billion (1.5 million metric tons) compared with $0.8 billion 
(1.7 million metric tons) in the preliminary November report. 

     The November to December change in steel imports, based on metric tonnage, reflected  
decreases primarily in blooms, billets, and slabs.  Monthly changes in steel imports reflected 
decreases primarily with Brazil, and Canada.

     The year to date final statistics through November 2003 showed steel imports of 19.4 million 
metric tons, a decrease of 7.6 million metric tons from the 27.0 million metric tons through 
November 2002.  The largest commodity decreases were in blooms, billets, and slabs; hot rolled 
sheets; and wire rods.  The largest country decreases were with Brazil, Russia, Mexico,  Japan, 
and Korea.

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 February 24, 2004                     

SOURCE: Report FT900A (CB-04-11), U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade
        Division, Preliminary December 2003.  For more information, contact 
        Haydn R. Mearkle (301-763-2246) or Nick Orsini (301-763-2311), 
        Foreign Trade Division.