CURRENT INDUSTRIAL REPORTS
INVENTORIES OF STEEL PRODUCING MILLS -- JANUARY 1997

M33J(97)-1
Issued March 18, 1997

Contact: Ann Truffa, 301-457-4846


Table 1.  END-OF-MONTH INVENTORIES AND RELATED STATISTICS ON STEEL
          MILL SHAPES AND FORMS:  1997 AND 1996
(Thousand short tons)

                                  Steel   Producing mills inventories
    Month and year              service
                                centers            Steel in   Finished
                         inventories(1)    Total    process      steel

         1997

January................           6,929   11,800      6,200      5,600

         1996

December...............           6,962   12,000   r/ 6,400   r/ 5,600
November...............           6,816   12,000   r/ 6,400   r/ 5,600
October................           6,827   12,000   r/ 6,400   r/ 5,600
September..............           6,761   11,800   r/ 6,300   r/ 5,500
August.................           6,772   11,800   r/ 6,200      5,600
July...................           6,685   11,900   r/ 6,400      5,500

June...................           6,614   11,700      6,300      5,400
May....................           6,502   11,500      6,300      5,200
April..................           6,499   11,800      6,400      5,400
March..................           6,168   12,000      6,300      5,700
February...............           6,337   11,800      6,300      5,500
January................           6,321   12,100      6,400      5,700

    r/ Revised by 5 percent or more from previously published data.

    1/ Source:  Steel Service Center Institute.


Table 2.  NET SHIPMENTS AND IMPORTS OF STEEL MILL
          SHAPES:  1997 AND 1996
(Thousand short tons)

                                Manufacturers'      Imports for
       Month and year         net shipments(1)   consumption(2)

            1997

January......................            8,630             (NA)

            1996

     Total...................          100,130           25,566
December.....................            8,043            2,255
November.....................            7,906            2,778
October......................            8,812            2,495
September....................            8,307            2,332
August.......................            8,407            2,599
July.........................            8,097            2,288

June.........................            8,335            1,985
May..........................            8,817            2,021
April........................            8,538            1,880
March........................            8,428            1,614
February.....................            8,260            1,632
January......................            8,180            1,687

    1/ Source: American Iron and Steel Institute.
    2/ Source: Bureau of the Census report IM 145, U.S. Imports
for Consumption.  Import tonnage is derived from the following
HTSUSA import numbers: 7206.10.0000 - 7306.90.5000.

    NA Not available.