This release contains sensitive economic data not to be released before 
10:00 a.m. Thursday, October 21, 1999

  CB-99-203 Press Copy 
  FT-900A (99-09)

For information contact:

Haydn Mearkle    (301) 457-2246
Nick Orsini      (301) 457-2311 

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


     The Bureau of the Census, through the Department of Commerce, announced 
today that preliminary September steel imports were $1.0 billion (2.7 
million metric tons).  This was virtually the same value, and a decrease 
of 0.2 million metric tons from the preliminary August totals of $1.0 
billion (2.8 million metric tons).

     The August to September change in steel imports, based on metric 
tonnage, reflected decreases primarily in wire rods, reinforcing bars, 
and blooms, billets, and slabs.  Monthly changes in steel imports reflected 
decreases primarily with Brazil, Japan, and Indonesia.

     The year-to-date final statistics through August of 1999 showed steel 
imports of 21.2 million metric tons, a decrease of 3.0 million metric tons 
from the 24.2 million metric tons through August of 1998.  The largest 
commodity decreases were in hot rolled sheets, plates in coils, and heavy 
structural shapes. The largest country decreases occurred with Russia, 
Japan, and the United Kingdom.                                                         


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 November 24, 1999


SOURCE: Report FT900A (CB-99-203), Bureau of the Census, Foreign Trade
        Division, Preliminary September 1999 Steel Report.  For more 
        information, contact Haydn R. Mearkle (301-457-2246) or Richard 
        M. Preuss (301-457-2311), Foreign Trade Division.