This release contains sensitive economic data not to be released 
before 10:00 a.m. Thursday, August 26, 1999

  CB-99-157  Press Copy 
  FT-900A (99-07)

For information contact:
Haydn Mearkle     (301) 457-2246
Nick Orsini       (301) 457-2311 


     Preliminary: U.S. Imports for Consumption of Steel Products - July 1999


     The Bureau of the Census, through the Department of Commerce, announced 
today that preliminary July steel imports were $1.1 billion (2.9 million 
metric tons).  This was a increase of $0.1 billion (0.3 million metric tons) 
from the preliminary June totals of $1.0 billion (2.7 million metric tons).

     The June to July change in steel imports, based on metric tonnage, 
reflected increases primarily in wire rods, hot rolled sheets, and cold 
rolled sheets.  Monthly changes in steel imports reflected increases 
primarily with Mexico, Ukraine, and Taiwan. 

     The year-to-date final statistics through June of 1999 showed steel 
imports of 15.3 million metric tons, a decrease of 1.3 million metric tons 
from the 16.5 million metric tons through June of 1998.  The largest 
commodity decreases were in hot rolled sheets, plates in coils, and heavy 
structural shapes. The largest country decreases were with Russia, Japan, 
and Ukraine.                                                                    


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

   The next release is September 23, 1999

Source:  Preliminary:  U.S. Imports For Consumption of Steel Products
July 1999 (FT-900a, CB-99-157).  Contact Haydn Mearkle (301)457-2246 or 
Nick Orsini (301)457-2311 for questions.