U.S. Census Bureau News

U.S. Department of Commerce ( Washington, DC 20230


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
10:00 A.M. EDT TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2007

For information contact:
CB07-119, FT-900A (07-07)
Nick Orsini
(301) 763-6959


Vanessa Ware
(301) 763-2311







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


     
    The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that preliminary August steel imports were $2.4 billion (2.3 million metric tons) compared to the preliminary July totals of $2.8 billion (2.9 million metric tons).    
	
     The July to August change in steel imports, based on metric tonnage, reflected decreases primarily in blooms, billets and slabs and reinforcing bars.  Monthly changes in steel imports reflected decreases primarily with China and Brazil.  
   
 
    
     
The year to date final statistics through July 2007 showed steel imports of 19.2 million metric tons compared to 24.4 million metric tons through July 2006.  The largest commodity decreases were in blooms, billets, and slabs and hot rolled sheets.  The largest commodity increase was in line pipe greater than 16 inches in diameter.  The largest country decreases were with Russia and Turkey.  The largest country increases were with China and Canada.  







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 October 23, 2007.