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


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
10:00 A.M. EDT TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2008

For information contact:
CB08-15, FT-900A (12-07)
Nick Orsini
(301) 763-6959
Maria Iseman
(301) 763-2311


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


The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that preliminary December steel imports 
were $1.8 billion (1.8 million metric tons) compared to the preliminary 
November totals of $2.1 billion (2.1 million metric tons).           
	
The November to December change in steel imports, based on metric tonnage, 
reflected a decrease primarily in oil country goods and hot rolled sheets.  
Monthly changes in steel imports reflected decreases primarily with China and 
Korea.    
   
The year to date final statistics through November 2007 showed steel imports 
of 28.3 million metric tons compared to 38.3 million metric tons through 
November 2006.  The largest commodity decreases were in blooms, billets, and 
slabs; hot rolled sheets; and cold rolled sheets.  The largest country 
decreases were with Russia and Turkey.  
 
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 February 26, 2008.