U.S. Census Bureau News
U.S. Department of Commerce
Washington, D.C. 20230
                                
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
10:00 A.M. EST Wednesday, December 28, 2005
                                
For information contact:
Nick Orsini      (301) 763-6959
Janet Shapiro	 (301) 763-2311

CB-05-181, FT900A (05-11)
                                 
Preliminary: U.S. Imports for Consumption of Steel Products
November 2005

The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that preliminary November steel imports 
were $1.7 billion (2.1 million metric tons) compared with $1.8 billion (2.5 
million metric tons) in the preliminary October report.                          

The October to November change in steel imports based on metric tonnage 
reflected decreases primarily in blooms, billets, and slabs; hot rolled sheets; 
and wire rods. An increase occurred primarily with reinforcing bars.  Monthly 
changes in steel imports reflected decreases primarily with Mexico and 
Australia. An increase occurred primarily with Turkey. 

The year to date statistics through October 2005 showed steel imports of 24.3 
million metric tons, compared with 26.7 million metric tons through October 
2004.  The largest commodity decreases were in wire rods, hot rolled sheets, 
and  reinforcing bars.   An increase occurred primarily in oil country goods. 
The largest country decreases were with Turkey, Brazil, and Russia.  The 
largest country increase was with China. 

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 December 28, 2005

CONTACT:  For more information, contact Nick Orsini (301-763-6959) or Vanessa Ware 
(301-763-2311), Foreign Trade Division, U.S. Census Bureau.

SOURCE:  U.S. Imports for Consumption of Steel Products: Preliminary   
October 2005 (CB-05-167)