Not Seasonally Adjusted Exhibit 1b: U.S. Imports for Consumption of Stainless Steel Products: (Census Basis) Quantity in metric tons/ value in thousands of dollars. Details may not equal totals due to rounding May 2004 April 2004 Preliminary Preliminary Commodity Grouping Quantity Value Quantity Value Total Selected Commodities 71,652 196,529 65,646 183,915 Ingots And Steel For Castings 158 344 150 469 Blooms, Billets And Slabs 15,362 33,292 7,650 17,604 Wire Rods 2,853 7,167 3,087 7,397 Structural Shapes Heavy 263 1,142 198 648 Plates Cut Lengths 2,078 4,498 2,440 5,858 Plates In Coils 5,792 16,411 2,896 8,226 Bars - Hot Rolled 1,906 5,610 1,684 5,029 Bars - Light Shaped 924 2,723 842 2,208 Bars - Cold Finished 4,541 12,880 5,206 14,782 Stainless Pipe & Tubing 8,057 35,316 9,196 35,375 Wire Drawn 2,660 10,268 3,817 13,736 Sheets Hot Rolled 712 1,203 506 1,232 Sheets Cold Rolled 23,529 56,109 24,952 60,811 Strip - Hot Rolled 194 482 41 111 Strip - Cold Rolled 2,623 9,084 2,981 10,430 ______________________________________________________________ April 2004 Final Commodity Grouping Quantity Value Total Selected Commodities 66,891 187,017 Ingots And Steel For Castings 183 469 Blooms, Billets And Slabs 7,673 17,650 Wire Rods 3,118 7,447 Structural Shapes Heavy 205 671 Plates Cut Lengths 2,507 6,055 Plates In Coils 2,954 8,435 Bars - Hot Rolled 1,701 5,130 Bars - Light Shaped 909 2,380 Bars - Cold Finished 5,408 15,212 Stainless Pipe & Tubing 9,356 35,549 Wire Drawn 3,818 14,272 Sheets Hot Rolled 506 1,232 Sheets Cold Rolled 25,503 61,879 Strip - Hot Rolled 41 111 Strip - Cold Rolled 3,011 10,525 ______________________________________________________________ May 2003 April 2003 Final Final Commodity Grouping Quantity Value Quantity Value Total Selected Commodities 58,649 119,172 64,287 130,084 Ingots And Steel For Castings 2,831 3,331 2,716 3,672 Blooms, Billets And Slabs 12,320 18,129 11,864 16,862 Wire Rods 2,493 4,026 3,334 5,291 Structural Shapes Heavy 220 817 137 443 Plates Cut Lengths 1,734 3,157 2,083 3,693 Plates In Coils 1,024 1,797 1,291 2,443 Bars - Hot Rolled 904 1,902 1,582 3,218 Bars - Light Shaped 470 1,031 841 1,800 Bars - Cold Finished 5,052 11,315 5,529 12,441 Stainless Pipe & Tubing 7,104 24,459 6,405 22,729 Wire Drawn 2,570 8,184 3,171 9,577 Sheets Hot Rolled 378 547 740 1,412 Sheets Cold Rolled 19,159 32,452 20,628 35,223 Strip - Hot Rolled 17 37 34 77 Strip - Cold Rolled 2,374 7,990 3,930 11,202 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 May 2004 (CB-04-100)