Not Seasonally Adjusted
                                           
        Exhibit 4B:  U.S. Imports for Consumption of Stainless Steel Products
                 from Selected Countries and Areas:  (Census Basis)
                                           
               Quantity in metric tons/ value in thousands of dollars.
                    Details may not equal totals due to rounding
                                           

                                      January 2004              January 2003
                                      Cumulative to             Cumulative to
                                      Date - Final              Date - Final
Countries and
Areas                           Quantity    Value       Quantity    Value

Total Census Basis                    52,628     121,063      58,853     116,202

North America                         12,027      28,871      16,901      32,309
        Canada                         4,151      14,538       9,563      21,373
        Mexico                         7,876      14,333       7,338      10,936
Western Europe                        23,933      53,339      23,506      46,738
    Euro Area (2)                     14,241      32,072      14,222      29,526
    European Union                    23,853      52,943      23,135      45,435
        Austria                          377       1,506         224         812
        Belgium                        1,320       3,040       1,348       2,470
        Finland                          379         873         599       1,051
        France                         3,558       7,959       3,231       7,594
        Germany                        2,665       6,544       2,684       7,194
        Italy                          5,370      10,204       4,459       6,878
        Netherlands                       30          79         210         104
        Spain                            480       1,664       1,347       3,102
        Sweden                         2,847       7,920       4,223       9,530
        United Kingdom                 6,764      12,918       4,444       5,855
        Other EU                          63         236         366         848
    European Free Trade                                                         
    Association                           67         374         348       1,269
        Norway                             9          28         140         342
        Switzerland                       57         346         208         927
        Other EFTA                         0           0           0           0
    Turkey                                 0           0           0           0
    Other Western Europe                  13          21          23          34
Eastern Europe/FSR                       154         310         281         459
        Poland                             0           0           0           0
        Former Soviet Republics          154         310         275         443
            Moldova                        0           0           0           0
            Ukraine                        0           0          37          60
            Russia                        38          68         183         273
            Other FSR                    116         242          55         110
        Other EE                           0           0           6          15
Pacific Rim Countries                 12,241      30,710      11,824      26,181
        Australia                         17          50           2           7
        China                          2,729       6,105       1,631       3,258
        Indonesia                          0           0           0           8
        Japan                          2,643       9,017       1,339       5,159
        Korea                          2,235       4,925       2,574       5,863
        Taiwan                         4,306       9,866       5,988      11,277
        Other Pacific Rim                311         746         290         609
South/Central America                  1,054       1,799       1,653       2,136
        Argentina                          0           0           0           0
        Brazil                         1,034       1,766       1,640       2,107
        Colombia                           0           0           0           0
        Venezuela                          2           3           0           0
        Other S/C A                       19          30          13          29
Other Countries                        3,218       6,035       4,689       8,379
        India                          2,329       4,557       3,405       6,641
        South Africa                     757       1,206         638         763
        Other                            132         272         646         975
                                           
NOTE:   See the cover report specifically explaining the current month's preliminary
steel imports trade data or
www.census.gov/foreign-trade/Press-Release/steel_index.html.

CONTACT:  For more information, contact Haydn R. Mearkle (301-763-2246) or Nick
Orsini (301-763-2311), Foreign Trade Division, U.S. Census Bureau.

SOURCE:  U.S. Imports for Consumption of Steel Products: Preliminary
February 2004 (CB-04-46)