U.S. Census Bureau News

U.S. Department of Commerce
Washington, DC 20230


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
10:00 A.M. EDT TUESDAY, JUNE 24, 2008

For information contact:
CB08-94, FT-900A (08-05)

Nick Orsini
(301) 763-6959

Maria Iseman
(301) 763-2311







Preliminary: U.S. Imports for Consumption of Steel Products
May 2008



     
     The U.S. Census Bureau announced today 
that preliminary May steel imports were $2.7 
billion (2.2 million metric tons) compared to 
the preliminary April totals of $2.8 billion 
(2.7 million metric tons).    
	
     The April to May 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 Turkey, Canada, Japan, 
and Ukraine.  
   


     The year to date final statistics 
through April 2008 showed steel imports of 9.7 
million metric tons compared to 10.4 million 
metric tons through April 2007. The largest 
commodity decreases were in galvanized hot 
dipped sheets and strip, cold rolled sheets, 
reinforcing bars, and wire rods.  The largest 
commodity increases were in line pipe greater 
than 16 inches in diameter and oil country 
goods. The largest country decreases were with 
China and Brazil.  The largest country 
increase was with 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 July 29, 2008.