This release contains sensitive economic data not to be released 
before 10:00 a.m. Thursday, December 23, 1999

  CB-99-247 Press Copy 
  FT-900A (99-11)

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

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

     The Bureau of the Census, through the Department of Commerce, announced 
today that preliminary November steel imports were $1.1 billion (2.6 million 
metric tons).  This was virtually the same value, and a decrease of 0.2 
million metric tons from the preliminary October totals of $1.1 billion 
(2.8 million metric tons).

     The October to November change in steel imports, based on metric 
tonnage, reflected decreases primarily in blooms, billets, and slabs, 
reinforcing bars, and wire rods.  Monthly changes in steel imports 
reflected decreases primarily with Brazil, Ukraine, and Mexico.

     The year-to-date final statistics through October of 1999 showed steel 
imports of 26.9 million metric tons, a decrease of 4.5 million metric tons 
from the 31.4 million metric tons through October 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 Korea.                                                         


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 January 27, 2000                                     

CONTACT:  For more information, contact Haydn R. Mearkle (301-457-2246) or
       Nick Orsini (301-457-2311), Foreign Trade Division, Bureau of Census.