U.S. Census Bureau News

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


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
10:00 A.M. EST TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2009

For information contact:
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Nick Orsini
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Maria Iseman
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Preliminary: U.S. Imports for Consumption of Steel Products
January 2009
 
The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that preliminary January steel imports were $2.9 billion (2.1 million metric tons) compared to the preliminary December totals of $2.7 billion (1.8 million metric tons).    
	
The January change in steel imports based on metric tonnage reflected increases primarily in heavy structural shapes and line pipe greater than 16 inches in diameter.  Monthly changes in steel imports reflected increases primarily with Korea and Russia. 
   
The year to date final statistics through December 2008 showed steel imports of 29.0 million metric tons compared to 30.2 million metric tons through December 2007. The largest commodity decreases were in reinforcing bars and blooms, billets, and slabs. The largest commodity increase was in oil country goods.  The largest country decrease was with Brazil.  The largest country increases were with Canada and India. 

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/trade. On the web site you can access product by country and country by product tables.

The next release is March 24, 2009.