U.S. Census Bureau News

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


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
10:00 A.M. EST TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2012

For information contact:	CB12-15, FT-900A (12-11)
Matthew Przybocki	(301) 763-3148		
Maria Iseman	(301) 763-2311		
	
	
Preliminary: U.S. Imports for Consumption of Steel Products
December 2011
 

     The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that preliminary December steel imports were $2.2 billion (1.8 million metric tons).  This was a decrease of 0.1 million metric tons from the preliminary November totals of $2.4 billion (1.9 million metric tons). 
	
     The December change in steel imports based on metric tonnage reflected decreases primarily in plates in coils and oil country goods; an increase occurred primarily in line pipe greater than 16 inches in diameter. Decreases occurred primarily with Belgium and the Netherlands; an increase occurred primarily with Brazil.  
       
     The year to date final statistics through November 2011 showed steel imports of 24.0 million metric tons compared with 20.0 million metric tons through November 2010. The largest commodity increase occurred primarily in blooms, billets, and slabs. The largest country increase occurred primarily with Brazil.   

 

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 February 22, 2012.