U.S. Census Bureau News			
						
			         U.S. Department of Commerce · Washington, DC 20230			
						
			                   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE			
			         10:00 A.M. EDT TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013			
						

For information contact:			CB13-71, FT-900A (03-13)		
Matthew Przybocki             		        (301) 763-3148				
Maria Iseman                    		(301) 763-2311				
						
Preliminary: U.S. Imports for Consumption of Steel Products						
		March 2013				

The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that preliminary March steel imports were $2.3 billion (2.2 million metric tons) compared 
to the preliminary February totals of $2.2billion (2.2 million metric tons). 

The March change in steel imports based on metric tonnage reflected increases primarily in reinforcing bars and oil country goods and 
decreases primarily in blooms, billets, and slabs.   Increases occurred primarily with Canada and Mexico.  Decreases occurred primarily 
with Brazil and Russia.  

The year to date final statistics through February 2013 showed steel imports of 4.6 million metric tons compared with 5.0 million metric 
tons through February 2012. The largest commodity  decreases occurred primarily in blooms, billets, and slabs; oil country goods; and 
plates in coils and increases occurred primarily in hot galvanized sheets and strips. The largest country  decreases occurred primarily 
with Russia and Turkey.  Increases occurred primarily with China. 		
						
						
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 May 23, 2013.