U.S. Census Bureau News			
						
U.S. Department of Commerce · Washington, DC 20230			
						
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE			
10:00 A.M. EDT TUESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2012			
						
For information contact:	CB12-153, FT-900A (07-12)		
Matthew Przybocki         (301) 763-3148				
Maria Iseman              (301) 763-2311				


						
Preliminary: U.S. Imports for Consumption of Steel Products						
July 2012				

						
The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that preliminary July steel imports were $2.7 billion (2.3 million metric tons) 
compared to the preliminary June totals of $2.8 billion (2.4 million metric tons). 				    

The year to date final statistics through June 2012 showed steel imports of 16.0 million metric tons compared with 13.3 million metric 
tons through June 2011. The largest commodity increases occurred primarily in oil country goods and blooms, billets, and slabs. 
The largest country increases occurred primarily with Brazil and Russia; decreases occurred primarily with Australia and Mexico.		
						
The July change in steel imports based on metric tonnage reflected decreases primarily in hot rolled bars and oil country goods.  
Decreases occurred primarily with Brazil, China, and Turkey; decreases occurred primarily with Italy 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 website, you can 
access product by country and country by product tables.						
						
The next release is September 25, 2012.