U.S. Census Bureau News
U.S. Department of Commerce ( Washington, DC 20230


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
10:00 A.M. EST TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2007

CB07-28, FT-900A (01-07)

For information contact:

Nick Orsini
(301) 763-6959

Vanessa Ware
(301) 763-2311

Preliminary: U.S. Imports for Consumption of Steel Products
January 2007

The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that preliminary January steel imports 
were $2.1 billion (2.4 million metric tons compared to the preliminary December 
totals of $2.4 billion (2.7 million metric tons).    
	
The December to January change in steel imports, based on metric tonnage, 
reflected decreases primarily in cold rolled sheets and hot rolled sheets. 
Monthly changes in steel imports reflected decreases primarily with Taiwan and 
Korea.  An increase occurred primarily with Canada. 

The year to date final statistics through December 2006 showed steel imports of 
41.1 million metric tons compared to 29.1 million metric tons through December 2005. 
The largest commodity increases were in blooms, billets, and slabs; hot rolled sheets; 
and cold rolled sheets.  The largest country increases were with China, Russia, and 
Taiwan.  The largest country decreases were with Mexico and Venezuela.  

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 March 27, 2007.           	

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 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   
January 2007 (CB-07-28)