Newly released preliminary government figures covering steel imports for the month of August show that steel imports fell from 5 percent from July levels and remain 29 percent below the levels of August 1998.

Total Steel Mill Products

Steel imports remain significantly below last year's surge levels. The preliminary data released today show that overall steel imports in August were 29 percent below August 1998 levels. Overall steel imports in August were 5 percent below July 1999. Looking at the first eight months of this year, 1999 steel imports are down approximately 13 percent compared to 1998 and are 8 percent above 1997.

Hot-rolled Steel

August imports of hot-rolled steel increased 3 percent compared to July. Imports of these products, which were the subject of recently completed antidumping and countervailing duty cases, are down 64 percent from last fall's high point, with imports from the three investigated countries (Japan, Russia and Brazil) down 99 percent. Looking at the first eight months of this year, 1999 hot-rolled steel imports are down approximately 44 percent compared to 1998 and are 16 percent below 1997.

Cold-rolled Steel

August imports of cold-rolled steel fell 21 percent from July. August imports of cold-rolled steel, the subject of 13 ongoing antidumping and countervailing duty cases, are down 38 percent compared to August 1998 and are down 1 percent compared to August 1997. Looking at the first eight months of this year, 1999 cold-rolled steel imports are down 2 percent compared to 1998 and down 13 percent compared to 1997.

Cut-to-length Plate

August imports of cut-to-length plate, the subject of 11 ongoing antidumping and countervailing duty cases, decreased 22 percent compared to July. August 1999 imports of these products are down approximately 85 percent from August 1998 and down 44 percent from August 1997. Looking at the first eight months of this year, 1999 plate imports are down approximately 45 percent compared to 1998 and 38 percent compared to 1997.

Wire Rod

Overall imports of wire rod in August decreased 6 percent compared to July. August 1999 imports of wire rod are up 46 percent compared to August 1998 and 57 percent compared to August 1997. Looking at the first eight months of this year, 1999 imports of wire rod are up 18 percent compared to 1998 and 29 percent compared to 1997. These products are the subject of an ongoing section 201 proceeding, with the President due to make his determination by September 27, 1999.

Heavy Structurals

Overall imports of heavy structurals increased 8 percent compared to July. August 1999 imports of heavy structurals are down 53 percent compared to August 1998 and up 19 percent compared to August 1997. Looking at the first eight months of this year, 1999 imports of heavy structurals are down 40 percent compared to 1998 but up 65 percent compared to 1997. These products are the subject of current antidumping and countervailing duty investigations.

Semifinished Steel

Overall imports of semifinished steel in August fell 2 percent compared to July. August imports of these products are up 5 percent compared to August 1998 and 65 percent compared to August 1997. Looking at the first eight months of this year, 1999 imports of semifinished steel are up 14 percent compared to 1998 and 16 percent compared to 1997.

These figures are being provided on an expedited basis, and will continue to be released on this schedule each month, consistent with the President's steel action program of August 5, 1999. The data released today are preliminary and are likely to change somewhat between now and the release of the final August statistics next month. September preliminary figures will be released on October 21, 1999.

###