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, 
February 24, 2004
                                
CB-04-28     Press Copy 
FT-900A (04-01)                           

For information contact:
Haydn Mearkle    (301) 763-2246
Nick Orsini      (301) 763-2311                                
                                
                                 
Preliminary: U.S. Imports for Consumption of Steel Products
January 2004

The U.S. Census Bureau, through the Department of Commerce, announced today that preliminary January 
steel imports were $1.0 billion (2.1 million metric tons).  This was an increase of $0.2 billion 
(0.6 million metric tons) from the preliminary December 2003 totals of $0.8 billion (1.5 million 
metric tons).

The December to January change in steel imports, based on metric tonnage, reflected  increases 
primarily in blooms, billets, and slabs; and wire rods.  Monthly changes in steel imports reflected 
increases primarily with Brazil, Korea, Japan, and Turkey.

The year to date final statistics through December 2003 showed steel imports of 21.0 million metric 
tons, a decrease of 8.7 million metric tons from the 29.7 million metric tons through December 2002.  
The largest commodity decreases were in blooms, billets, and slabs; hot rolled sheets; and wire rods.  
The largest country decreases were with Brazil, and Russia.

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 March 30, 2004                     

SOURCE: Report FT900A (CB-04-28), U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade
        Division, Preliminary January 2004.  For more information, contact 
        Haydn R. Mearkle (301-763-2246) or Nick Orsini (301-763-2311), 
        Foreign Trade Division.