FACT SHEET

STEEL IMPORTS FOR OCTOBER 2002
DECREASED 8.47 PERCENT FROM SEPTEMBER 2002

November 26, 2002

Newly released preliminary government figures covering steel imports for the month of October 2002 show that steel imports decreased 8.47 percent from September 2002 levels.

Total Steel Mill Products

The preliminary data released today show that overall steel imports in October 2002 decreased 8.47 percent compared to September 2002. The decrease in October's total amount of steel imports was due primarily to a decrease in imports of wire rod. October 2002 imports of finished steel products decreased 22 percent compared to September 2002, while imports of semi-finished steel rose 43 percent.

October 2002 imports of steel mill products were up 2 percent compared to October 2001. October 2002 imports of finished steel were down 7 percent compared to October 2001, while semi-finished steel products were up 25 percent compared to October 2001. January to October 2002 imports of steel mill products were up 8 percent compared to the same period in 2001. January to October 2002 imports of finished steel were down 1 percent compared to the same period last year, while imports of semi-finished steel were up 40 percent.

Hot-Rolled Steel

October 2002 imports of hot?rolled steel decreased 15 percent from their September 2002 levels and were up 49 percent compared to October 2001 levels. January to October 2002 imports of hot-rolled steel were up 42 percent compared to the same period last year.

Cold-Rolled Steel

October 2002 imports of cold-rolled steel decreased 3 percent compared to September 2002 levels and were down 39 percent compared to October 2001 levels. January to October 2002 imports of cold-rolled steel were down 37 percent compared to the same period last year.

Cut-to-Length Plate

October 2002 imports of cut-to-length plate decreased 27 percent compared to September 2002. October 2002 imports were down 23 percent compared to October 2001. January to October 2002 imports of cut-to-length plate were down 7 percent compared to the same period last year.

Corrosion-Resistant Steel

October 2002 imports of corrosion-resistant steel increased 6 percent compared to September 2002. October 2002 imports of these products were up 37 percent compared to October 2001. January to October 2002 imports of corrosion-resistant steel were up 31 percent compared to the same period last year.

Wire Rod

October 2002 imports of wire rod decreased 64 percent compared to September 2002 levels and were down 35 percent compared to October 2001 levels. January to October 2002 imports of wire rod were up 17 percent compared to the same period last year.

Heavy Structurals

October 2002 imports of heavy structurals decreased 23 percent from their September 2002 level and were down 36 percent compared to October 2001 levels. January to October 2002 imports of heavy structurals were down 23 percent compared to the same period last year.

Rebar

October 2002 imports of rebar fell 50 percent compared to September 2002. October 2001 imports of these products were down 70 percent compared to October 2001. January to October 2002 imports of rebar were down 23 percent compared to the same period last year.

Hot-Rolled Bar

October 2002 imports of hot-rolled bar increased 16 percent compared to September 2002 and were up 17 percent compared to October 2001 levels. January to October 2002 imports of hot-rolled bar were up 13 percent compared to the same period last year.

Standard Pipe

October 2002 imports of standard pipe increased 39 percent compared to September 2002. October 2002 imports of these products were up 19 percent compared to October 2001. January to October 2002 imports of standard pipe were down 5 percent compared to the same period last year.

Oil Country Tubular Goods (OCTG)

October 2002 imports of OCTG increased 19 percent compared to September 2002. October 2002 imports of these products were down 6 percent compared to October 2001. January to October 2002 imports of OCTG were down 53 percent compared to the same period last year.

Semi-Finished Steel

October 2002 imports of semi-finished steel increased 43 percent compared to September 2002 and were up 25 percent compared to October 2001 levels. January to October 2002 imports of semi-finished steel were up 40 percent compared to the same period last year. Imports of these products are used by U.S. steel companies to produce finished products.

EXPANDED BREAKOUT BY GRADE

Since May 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 October 2002 decreased 12 percent from their September 2002 levels and were up 2 percent compared to October 2001 levels. January to October 2002 imports of these products were up 8 percent compared to the same period last year.

Carbon Hot-Rolled Steel - Imports of carbon hot-rolled steel in October 2002 decreased 16 percent compared to September 2002. October 2002 imports were up 51 percent compared to October 2001. January to October imports of these products were up 43 percent compared to the same period last year.

Carbon Cold-Rolled Steel - Imports of carbon cold-rolled steel in October 2002 decreased 6 percent compared to September 2002. October 2002 imports were down 45 percent compared to October 2001. January to October imports of these products were down 42 percent compared to the same period last year.

Alloy Steel

Overall imports of alloy steel products in October 2002 increased 19 percent compared to September 2002 and were up 3 percent compared to October 2001 levels. January to October 2002 imports of these products were up 8 percent compared to the same period last year.

Tool Steel - Imports of tool steel in October 2002 increased 8 percent compared to September 2002. October 2002 imports were up 5 percent compared to October 2001. January to October imports of these products were down 7 percent compared to the same period last year.

Stainless Steel

Overall imports of stainless steel products in October 2002 increased 8 percent from their September 2002 level and were down 27 percent compared to October 2001 levels. January to October 2002 imports of these products were up 1 percent compared to the same period last year.

Stainless Hot-Rolled Steel - Imports of stainless hot-rolled steel in October 2002 decreased 8 percent compared to September 2002. October 2002 imports were down 50 percent compared to October 2001. January to October imports of these products were up 26 percent compared to the same period last year.

Stainless Cold-Rolled Steel - Imports of stainless cold-rolled steel in October 2002 increased 5 percent compared to September 2002. October 2002 imports were up 16 percent compared to October 2001. January to October imports of these products were up 14 percent compared to the same period last year.

Stainless Hot-Rolled Bars - Imports of stainless hot-rolled bars in October 2002 increased 3 percent compared to September 2002 and were down 3 percent compared to October 2001 levels. January to October imports of these products were down 30 percent compared to the same period last year.

Stainless Cold-Finished Bars - Imports of stainless cold-finished bars in October 2002 increased 7 percent compared to September 2002. October 2002 imports were up 2 percent compared to October 2001. January to October imports of these products were down 16 percent compared to the same period last year.

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 October statistics next month. November preliminary figures will be released on December 24, 2002.

Note: Census issued revisions to certain country totals within product categories for 1998 and the first six months of 1999. Only individual country totals within certain product categories were affected by these revisions; the overall totals for these product categories were not affected. These revisions have been incorporated into this fact sheet and the accompanying tables. Detailed reports containing the revisions to the data for 1998 and the period January to June 1999 are available on the Census Bureau web site.