U.S. Census Bureau News

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


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
10:00 A.M. EDT TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2007

For information contact:
CB07-147, FT-900A (09-07)
Nick Orsini
(301) 763-6959

Maria Iseman
(301) 763-2311


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


     

The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that preliminary September steel imports 
were $2.0 billion (2.0 million metric tons) compared to the preliminary August 
totals of $2.4 billion (2.3 million metric tons).    
	
The August to September change in steel imports, based on metric tonnage, reflected 
decreases primarily in blooms, billets and slabs.  Monthly changes in steel imports 
reflected decreases primarily with China and Japan.  
   
The year to date final statistics through August 2007 showed steel imports of 
21.6 million metric tons compared to 28.2 million metric tons through August 2006.  
The largest commodity decreases were in blooms, billets, and slabs; hot rolled 
sheets; and cold 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 Canada and 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 November 27, 2007.