U.S. Census Bureau News			
						
U.S. Department of Commerce · Washington, DC 20230			
						
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE		
10:00 A.M. EDT TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2012			
						
For information contact:	CB12-202, FT-900A (09-12)		
Matthew Przybocki             (301) 763-3148				
Maria Iseman                  (301) 763-2311				
						
Preliminary: U.S. Imports for Consumption of Steel Products						
September 2012				
						
The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that preliminary September steel imports were $2.4 billion (2.2 million metric tons) 
compared to the preliminary August totals of $2.6 billion (2.2 million metric tons).       

The September change in steel imports based on metric tonnage reflected decreases primarily in hot rolled bars and cut length plates; 
increases were reflected primarily in oil country goods.  Decreases occurred primarily with Turkey and China; increases occurred 
primarily with Korea.

The year to date final statistics through August 2012 showed steel imports of 20.9 million metric tons compared with 17.9 million metric tons 
through August 2011. The largest commodity increases occurred primarily in oil country goods and blooms, billets, and slabs. The largest 
country increases occurred primarily with Brazil, Turkey, and Russia; decreases occurred primarily with Australia and Mexico.		
						
						
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 November 27, 2012.