U.S. Census Bureau News			
						
			U.S. Department of Commerce · Washington, DC 20230			
						
			FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE			
			10:00 A.M. EDT WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23, 2013			
						
For information contact:		CB13-11, FT-900A (12-12)		
Matthew Przybocki             		(301) 763-3148				
Maria Iseman                    	(301) 763-2311				
						
Preliminary: U.S. Imports for Consumption of Steel Products						
		        December 2012				
					
The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that preliminary December steel imports were $2.1 billion (2.1 million metric tons) compared 
to the preliminary November totals of $2.5 billion (2.4 million metric tons).       

The December change in steel imports based on metric tonnage reflected decreases primarily in  hot dipped sheets and strips, oil country 
goods, and line pipes and an increase primarily in hot rolled sheets  Decreases occurred primarily with Korea and Japan. Increases occurred 
primarily with Russia and Australia.				

The year to date final statistics through November 2012 showed steel imports of 28.1 million metric tons compared with 24 million metric 
tons through November 2011. The largest commodity increases occurred primarily in blooms, billets, and slabs and oil country goods. The 
largest country increases occurred primarily with Korea and Brazil. Decreases occurred primarily with Australia.   "		
						
						
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 February 10, 2013.