For Immediate Release:June 27, 2006

STEEL IMPORTS FOR May 2006
INCREASED 7 PERCENT FROM April 2006

June 27, 2006

Newly released preliminary government figures covering steel imports for the month of May 2006 show that steel imports increased 7 percent from April 2006 levels.

Total Steel Mill Products

The preliminary data released today show that overall steel imports in May 2006 increased 7 percent from April 2006. The change in May’s total amount of steel imports was due primarily to increases in blooms, billets, and slabs and hot rolled sheets. May 2006 imports of finished steel products increased 4 percent compared to April 2006, while imports of semi-finished steel increased 22 percent.

May 2006 imports of steel mill products were up 45 percent compared to May 2005. May 2006 imports of finished steel were up 41 percent compared to May 2005, while semi-finished steel products increased 62 percent compared to May 2005.

Hot-Rolled Steel

May 2006 imports of hot-rolled steel increased 47 percent from their April 2006 levels and were up 186 percent compared to May 2005 levels.

Cold-Rolled Steel

May 2006 imports of cold-rolled steel decreased 17 percent from April 2006 levels and were up 124 percent compared to May 2005 levels.

Cut-to-Length Plate

May 2006 imports of cut-to-length plate increased 15 percent compared to April 2006. May 2006 imports were up 41 percent compared to May 2005.

Corrosion-Resistant Steel

May 2006 imports of corrosion-resistant steel increased 8 percent compared to April 2006. May 2006 imports of these products were up 44 percent compared to May 2005.

Wire Rod

May 2006 imports of wire rod decreased 23 percent compared to April 2006 levels and were down 46 percent compared to May 2005 levels.

Heavy Structurals

May 2006 imports of heavy structurals decreased 24 percent from their April 2006 level and were up 50 percent compared to May 2005 levels.

Rebar

May 2006 imports of rebar decreased 29 percent compared to April 2006. May 2006 imports of these products were up 30 percent compared to May 2005.

Hot-Rolled Bar

May 2006 imports of hot-rolled bar decreased 6 percent compared to April 2006 and were down 5 percent from May 2005 levels.

Standard Pipe

May 2006 imports of standard pipe increased 9 percent compared to April 2006. May 2006 imports of these products were up 31 percent compared to May 2005.

Oil Country Tubular Goods (OCTG)

May 2006 imports of OCTG increased 1 percent compared to April 2006. May 2006 imports of these products were up 16 percent compared to May 2005.

Semi-Finished Steel

May 2006 imports of semi-finished steel increased 22 percent compared to April 2006 and were up 62 percent compared to May 2005 levels. Imports of these products are used by U.S. steel companies to produce finished products.

EXPANDED BREAKOUT BY GRADE

Since May 2001 the U.S. Census Bureau (Census) expanded its early release of steel import data to include separate breakouts for carbon, alloy and stainless steel in each of the product categories. The following lists some of the highlights from these new breakouts:

Carbon Steel

Overall imports of carbon steel products in May 2006 increased 8 percent from their April 2006 levels and increased 62 percent compared to May 2005 levels.

Carbon Hot-Rolled Steel - Imports of carbon hot-rolled steel in May 2006 increased 52 percent compared to April 2006 and were up 206 percent compared to May 2005 levels.

Carbon Cold-Rolled Steel - Imports of carbon cold-rolled steel in May 2006 were down 24 percent from April 2006. May 2006 imports were up 157 percent compared to May 2005.

Alloy Steel

Overall imports of alloy steel products in May 2006 were down 2 percent from April 2006 and were down 24 percent compared to May 2005 levels.

Tool Steel - Imports of tool steel in May 2006 increased 1 percent compared to April 2006. May 2006 imports were down 27 percent from May 2005 levels.

Stainless Steel

Overall imports of stainless steel products in May 2006 increased 22 percent from their April 2006 level and were up 26 percent compared to May 2005 levels.

Stainless Hot-Rolled Steel - Imports of stainless hot-rolled steel in May 2006 increased 99 percent compared to April 2006. May 2006 imports increased 89 percent compared to May 2005.

Stainless Cold-Rolled Steel - Imports of stainless cold-rolled steel in May 2006 increased 26 percent compared to April 2006. May 2006 imports were up 71 percent compared to May 2005.

Stainless Hot-Rolled Bars - Imports of stainless hot-rolled bars in May 2006 increased 30 percent compared to April 2006 and were down 2 percent compared to May 2005 levels.

Stainless Cold-Finished Bars - Imports of stainless cold-finished bars in May 2006 decreased 2 percent compared to April 2006. May 2006 imports were down 24 percent compared to May 2005.

These figures are being provided on an expedited basis and will continue to be released on this schedule each month. The data released today are preliminary and are likely to change somewhat
between now and the release of the final May statistics next month. June 2006 preliminary figures will be released on July 25, 2006.