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, 
May 25, 2004
                                
CB-04-76     Press Copy 
FT-900A (04-04)                           

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

The U.S. Census Bureau, through the Department of Commerce, announced 
today that preliminary April steel imports were $1.3 billion (2.2 
million metric tons) compared with $1.2 billion (2.2 million metric 
tons) in the  preliminary March report. 

The March to April change in steel imports, based on metric tonnage, 
reflected  increases primarily in reinforcing bars, plates in coils, and 
standard pipe.  Decreases occurred primarily in blooms, billets, and 
slabs and wire rods.  Monthly changes in steel imports reflected increases 
primarily with Russia and Turkey.  Decreases occurred primarily with 
Brazil and  Australia.  

The year to date final statistics through March 2004 showed steel imports 
of 6.1 million metric tons, compared with 5.9 million metric tons through 
March 2003.  The largest commodity increases were in wire rods and blooms, 
billets, and slabs.  The largest country increases were with Mexico, 
Germany, Canada, 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 June 29, 2004                            

SOURCE: Report FT900A (CB-04-76), 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.