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, 
March 30, 2004
                                
CB-04-62     Press Copy 
FT-900A (04-03)                           

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

The U.S. Census Bureau, through the Department of Commerce, announced 
today that preliminary March steel imports were $1.2 billion (2.2 
million metric tons). This was an increase of $0.3 billion (0.4 million 
metric tons)  from the preliminary February totals of $0.9 billion (1.8 
million metric tons).

The February to March change in steel imports, based on metric tonnage, 
reflected  increases primarily in wire rods; blooms, billets, and slabs; 
galvanized hot dipped sheet and strip; and hot rolled sheets.   Monthly 
changes in steel imports reflected increases primarily with India, 
Canada, and Brazil.

The year to date final statistics through February 2004 showed steel 
imports of 3.9 million metric tons, compared with 3.8 million metric 
tons through February 2003.  The largest commodity increases were in 
wire rods and blooms, billets, and slabs.  The largest country increases 
were with Mexico, Germany, China, and Brazil. 

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 May 5, 2004                            

SOURCE: Report FT900A (CB-04-62), U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade
        Division, Preliminary March 2004.  For more information, contact 
        Haydn R. Mearkle (301-763-2246) or Nick Orsini (301-763-2311), 
        Foreign Trade Division.